National Campaign For The Arts

21/02/2026

Great to see this feature in The Irish Times today, exploring the origins of the Basic Income for Artists: the origins of the pilot, its impact on recipients, and the view as we move on to the permanent scheme. With input from NCFA Steering Committee member Carla Rogers, former NCFA Chair Angela Dorgan, Clare Duignan of the Culture Recovery Taskforce, Nadia Feldkircher of the BIA Research programme, artists Dave Tynan and Amy Clarkin, Minister Patrick O'Donovan, and more. All sides showing interest in and support for an expanded scheme.
https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/2026/02/21/basic-income-for-the-arts-is-now-permanent-but-for-artists-who-apply-the-money-is-not/

19/02/2026

International interest in Basic Income for Artists continues to grow – NCFA Chair Maria Fleming is the second NCFA committee member to appear on CNN this week, among requests from BBC, and French, Dutch, and Irish media. Eyes are on Ireland at the announcement of this landmark commitment to invest in Ireland's arts industries, highlighting this government's commitment to stabilising the precarious working conditions faced by artists.

Ireland can become a world leader through this unique scheme that ultimately benefits the whole of society through supporting our continued artistic excellence on the world stage. NCFA is committed to protecting it, strengthening it, expanding it and ensuring it reaches as many people as the evidence shows it should.

11/02/2026

REMINDER: SECTOR MEETING, 27 FEBRUARY // The National Campaign for the Arts invites members of the arts community to a forthcoming sector wide meeting this February 17th at 1pm, offering an opportunity to hear an update on our progress since the last gathering. We will be updating on the Basic Income for Artists, the report on the Arts Council, and next steps for the campaign in 2026.

Two NCFA board members, Maeve Stone and Áine Stapleton, have stepped down and we thank them for their brilliant work. Two former constituency co-ordinators, Paul Murray and Oonagh Kearney, will be joining us as new board members from here on.

This sector wide meeting is intended as a space for shared understanding, questions, and collective reflection on what lies ahead for artists and arts workers.

We warmly encourage practitioners, organisations, and cultural workers across the sector to attend and take part.

Register at the link in bio

10/02/2026

This morning, Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport, Patrick O’Donovan TD, announced the successor scheme to the Basic Income for the Arts Pilot scheme.

The new BIA will operate in 3-year cycles with artists being eligible for 3 out of every 6 years. Practicing artists based in the Republic of Ireland will be invited to apply for the scheme and 2,000 eligible artists will be selected to receive the payment of €325 per week. Those who were on the Pilot who meet the eligibility criteria for the new scheme may apply for the BIA in 2026.This announcement marks a landmark commitment to supporting Irish artists.

NCFA welcomes the Minister's announcement and looks forward to working with the department to expand the scheme in future. NCFA would once again like to recognise the work of the previous NCFA committee and former Minister Catherine Martin in their tireless campaign for basic income for artists.

At today's announcement, committee member Peter Power spoke about the BIA and the transformative impact of the pilot on its recipients:

"Basic Income for Artists is a landmark commitment by the government to invest in Ireland's arts industries, highlighting this government's commitment to stabilising the precarious working conditions faced by artists. Ireland can become a world leader through this unique scheme that ultimately benefits the whole of society through supporting our continued artistic excellence on the world stage.

The decision to make Ireland’s Basic Income for the Arts scheme permanent is a moment worth recognising on the national and international stage.
This scheme wasn’t an abstract experiment, it was a real-world test of what happens when people are given stability instead of precarity. Two thousand artists received a modest, guaranteed income, and their experience was carefully measured against a control group. The rigorous results were stunningly clear.

Artists on the scheme spent more time creating, produced more work, and spent less time trapped in unrelated jobs just to survive. Many became better able to sustain themselves through their work alone....[continued in comments]

23/10/2025

Listen in to NCFA Chair Maria Fleming sharing information about Ireland’s Basic Income for the Arts on Australian national radio on behalf of the NCFA, with Presenter Sky Kirkham on ABC listen. The Irish initiative has attracted international attention and discussion.

🎧 Tune in from 5:20 here: https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/arts-in-30/basic-income-ireland-maria-fleming-jo-caust-sam-cairnduff/105861668

Patrick O'Donovan Micheál Martin Jack Chambers
12 m

07/10/2025

We look forward to hearing further details about today’s budget announcement at 5 PM. Link below.

The Budget Press Conference for the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport is scheduled for 5pm today (Tues 7th) and is due to run until 5.45pm. The Press Conference will be live streamed and can be accessed here: https://www.youtube.com//streams

Beidh Preasagallamh Buiséid na Roinne Cultúir, Cumarsáide agus Spóirt ar siúl ag 5pm inniu (Dé Máirt 7 Deireadh Fómhair) agus leanfaidh sé ar aghaidh go dtí 5.45pm. Craolfar an Preasagallamh beo agus beidh sé le feiceáil anseo: https://www.youtube.com//streams

Patrick O'Donovan Charlie McConalogue

07/10/2025

welcomes the rollout of Basic Income for the Arts, following Budget 2026.

Marking an historic moment for the arts in Ireland, the Basic Income for the Arts (BIA) will now be rolled out as a permanent scheme by Patrick O'Donovan, Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport, following a successful three-year pilot.

Research from the pilot demonstrates multiple benefits for all. Key findings include:

● BIA helps retain Irish artists in the sector, where 53% face enforced deprivation - three times the national rate
● Contributes to better mental health: 75% of artists report feeling depressed or downhearted, compared to 34% of the general population
● Provides €1.39 back to the state for every €1 invested
● Supports the creation of 40% more Irish artwork

The introduction of BIA on a permanent basis underscores the premise that government investment in the arts yields myriad positive benefits to society. These include gains in the economy, health, mental wellbeing, education, societal cohesion, diversity, inclusion, creativity, critical thinking, innovation, entrepreneurship, global reputation, and more. Recent data from the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport shows that the pilot generated over €100 million in social and economic benefits. Audience engagement alone created around €16.9 million in social value, while improved psychological wellbeing contributed nearly €80 million.

Three years of continuous research linked to the Basic Income for the Arts pilot unequivocally proves the scheme’s positive impact on artists’ productivity and standard of living. With 53% of artists and arts workers facing enforced deprivation, which is three times the rate of the general population, this support is essential...
READ REST OF OUR PRESS RELEASE IN IMAGES ABOVE.

**The NCFA will digest the budget news and later respond, in full, regarding further Pre-Budget Submission asks (can be found in our bio).**

06/10/2025

NCFA is looking forward to tomorrow's budget announcement. Article text:

A number of countries have expressed an interest in Ireland’s basic income for the arts scheme, a pilot project Minister for Culture Patrick O’Donovan has confirmed he wants to make permanent.

Mr O’Donovan said he will introduce proposals for a permanent scheme, “assuming funding for a successor is secured”, in Tuesday’s budget.

The pilot project, introduced by former minister for arts Catherine Martin, was launched in April 2022 to run for three years to support artists and creative arts workers with a €325-a-week payment to 2,000 eligible participants selected by lottery. Mr O’Donovan extended it to February 2026.

Officials from Australia, Wales, South Korea, Canada, Norway, Lithuania, Estonia, “northern European arts councils and the Belgian presidency of the Council of the EU” have sought briefings on the scheme, the Minister said.

“Last year, our officials met with Jane Hutt, member of the Welsh Senedd and cabinet secretary for social justice, to discuss the strengths and challenges of the income pilot.”

A public consultation resulted in 17,000 submissions, with 97 per cent in favour of the scheme’s retention. A cost-benefit analysis by Alma Economics found that for every €1 invested, society receives €1.39 in return, including more than €100 million in social and economic benefits. It also found that recipients’ arts-related income increased by more than €500 per month on average, the Minister said.

He added that cost-benefit analysis “was circulated to colleagues in the Department of Public Expenditure” and “communications with the Department of Social Protection have been ongoing through the pilot”.

Raising the issue in the Dáil last week, Sinn Féin arts spokesman Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked if the 2000 people currently on the scheme would continue to receive funding or if it would it involve a totally new cohort. He also asked if it would be extended to include more eligible artists.
"ill it be a new scheme? Will it be totally reworked? Will it be an extension of the current scheme?” he asked....full article at Irishtimes.com

03/10/2025

Thinking this morning of the family and friends of Manchán Magan. His beautiful, magical voice about our language and landscape was, frankly, unparalleled. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam.

02/10/2025

The Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport, Patrick O'Donovan TD, has today announced the headline findings of a public consultation on the Basic Income for the Arts initiative, which show 97% of the wider public and the arts sector support making the scheme permanent.
➡ See link in bio.

D’fhógair an tAire Cultúir, Cumarsáide agus Spóirt, Patrick O'Donovan inniu príomhthorthaí comhairliúcháin phoiblí maidir le tionscnamh an Ioncaim Bhunúsaigh do na hEalaíona, ina léiríodh go bhfuil 97% den phobal i gcoitinne agus d’earnáil na n-ealaíon i bhfabhar an scéim a dhéanamh buan.
➡ Féach nasc inár mbio.

02/10/2025

Link: https://soundcloud.com/ncfa/c103-interview-basic-income-for-the-arts-9-september-2025
Hear from artists Audrey O'Reilly and Elaine Desmond in this fantastic C103 interview on Basic Income for the Arts.