Basic Income for the Arts Scheme 2026 – 2029 - FAQ

The next round of the Basic Income for the Arts Scheme will open for applications by May 2026 and payments will begin before the end of the year. https://www.gov.ie/en/department-of-culture-communications-and-sport/press-releases/minister-odonovan-announces-the-new-basic-income-for-the-arts-scheme/

The Guidelines will be published by April, in advance of applications being accepted, in order to allow applicants gather the relevant evidences required to demonstrate eligibility, ahead of making their application.

2,000 eligible artists will be funded under the scheme at a rate of €325 per week.

The department expects a high volume of applications, well in excess of the number of artists for which funding will be available, therefore it will not be possible to provide funding to all eligible applicants.

Speaking at the launch of the scheme, Minister O’Donovan expressed his intention to expand beyond 2000 artists, should more funding become available in future budget cycles.

With an allocation of €18.27 million for 2026, the Department is in a position to fund 2,000 artists. Given that we do not have sufficient funds to provide the BIA to all eligible artists we believe the fairest approach is to ensure that as many artists as possible benefit from the scheme over time, which is why the Minister has introduced a six-year rule. However, should it be possible to significantly increase the numbers funded then the six-year rule can be revisited.

No. Recipients will receive the payment for 3 years. The BIA scheme will be run every three years.

No. Names of recipients for the BIA successor scheme will be published, in line with common practice for arts funding and may be published to the EU State Aid register, which is publicly available.

The first payment to selected recipients will be made before the end of 2026. The funding secured in Budget 2026 allows for payment of €325 per week from September to 2000 artists. However, regardless of the date of the first payment recipients’ payments will be backdated to September 2026 and paid before the end of the year.

Guidelines outlining details for application and eligibility criteria and proofs will be published in the coming weeks and will include the dates of the application window. The purpose of the BIA is to support professional artists, resident in Ireland at time of application and whose creative practice is largely based in Ireland.

Yes, as long as they can demonstrate that they meet the eligibility criteria of the 2026 – 2029 scheme. Eligibility for the pilot does not automatically mean an artist is eligible for future rounds of the scheme.

Yes, as long as they can demonstrate that they meet the eligibility criteria of the 2026 – 2029 scheme. Eligibility for the pilot does not automatically mean an artist is eligible for future rounds of the scheme.

Yes, as long as they can demonstrate that they meet the eligibility criteria of the 2026 – 2029 scheme. Eligibility for the pilot does not automatically mean an artist is eligible for future rounds of the scheme.

No. With an allocation of €18.27 million for 2026, the Department is in a position to fund 2,000 artists. A high volume of applications is expected and therefore it will not be possible to provide funding to all eligible applicants.

Recipients will receive the payment for 3 years i.e. from 2026 to 2029. Those selected for the 2026 – 2029 BIA will not be eligible for the next round of funding, i.e. an artist can only receive BIA for 3 years out of any 6 year cycle. Therefore, artists in receipt of the BIA on the 2026 – 2029 scheme cannot apply for the 2030 – 2033 round but, could apply for the 2034 – 2037 round. This is to allow as many artists as possible to avail of the scheme.

Speaking at the launch of the scheme Minister O’Donovan expressed his intention to expand beyond 2000 artists, should more funding become available in future budget cycles.

Those not selected in 2026 will be able to apply for the next scheme in 2029.

The aim of the scheme is to support the creative practices of professional artists. To be considered eligible artists must meet the following criteria:

- Be resident in Ireland at the time of application

- Be a professional artist with an active professional creative practice

- Have a creative practice which is primarily based in Ireland

Detailed guidelines on how to apply will be available in April. The guidelines will set out the means by which artists can evidence their professional creative practice in order to be considered eligible.

Participants will be selected using an anonymous randomised selection process. This is considered the fairest selection process where all eligible applicants cannot be funded at this time. Randomised selection gives every eligible applicant an equal chance of selection and minimises human bias. Randomised selection also ensures that those selected are representative of the wider pool of applicants, ensuring geographical spread, gender balance, and balance across e.g. arts forms, age etc.

Payments received will be treated by DSP as income from self-employment for the purpose of its various means tests. This means that where a scheme includes a disregard of a certain amount of income from self-employment, that disregard will be applied to income from the BIA.

It should be noted that not all means-tested schemes include disregards for income from self-employment. The extent to which this income will have an impact on a person’s DSP payment will depend on the means test for that scheme and the person’s individual circumstances.

As the impact on a person’s social welfare entitlements will depend on that individual’s own circumstances, applicants are strongly advised to investigate what their own particular social welfare situation might be should they receive payment under this scheme, by contacting the Department of Social Protection.

Yes. All policies must be evidence-based and applicants will have to provide continuous survey data for the duration of the scheme. If they fail to provide this they will be removed from the scheme.

Yes, research outputs will be made public, as was the case during the pilot. You can find pilot reports here: BIA reports.

No.

Yes. There is no upper age limit for applicants. If you can demonstrate an active practice as a professional artist whose practice is predominantly based in Ireland, and are resident in Ireland, you can apply.

However, the impact of the BIA on social protection payments, for example: pensions, will depend on your individual circumstances. Applicants are strongly advised to investigate what their own particular situation would be, should they receive payment, by contacting the Department of Social Protection.