Ireland Makes Basic Income for Artists Permanent After Generating €100M in Benefits

In October 2025, Ireland's government announced that the country's basic income scheme for artists will be made permanent, Positive News reported. Introduced to help creatives during the pandemic, the programme offered participants a weekly stipend of €325 in a bid to kickstart grassroots culture.

The €25 million programme helped more than 2,000 artists. According to an independent study, the scheme generated €100 million in "social and economic benefits" to Ireland's economy — a remarkable return on investment.

“Introduced to help creatives during the pandemic, the programme offered participants a weekly stipend of €325 in a bid to kickstart grassroots culture.”

The decision to make the programme permanent comes as artists worldwide face increasing economic pressure, particularly from the rise of generative AI. Ireland's approach is being studied by other nations as a potential model for supporting the creative sector and recognizing the vital cultural and economic contributions that artists make to society.