Basic Income for the Arts scheme to open applications on April 15

Arts and culture Minister Patrick O'Donovan launching a permanent basic income of €325 for 2,000 artists, after a successful pilot programme. File picture: Gráinne Ní Aodha/PA

Applications for the new Basic Income for the Arts scheme are set to open this month. 

Two thousand artists across Ireland will be selected to receive the payment of €325 per week for three years under the €18.27m budget that is available. 

It follows a pilot scheme launched in 2022 — the first large-scale "randomised control trial" undertaken by the Government. 

The new scheme is set to support 2,000 practising professional artists in Ireland, with applications opening from April 15. 

"Applicants are encouraged to use the time between publication of guidelines and the opening of the application window to familiarise themselves with the eligibility criteria for the new scheme," said a Government spokesperson. 

"Applicants need to collect proofs of active practice and details for a survey, which are required when applying." 

Arts and culture minister Patrick O'Donovan is urging artists from every background and every corner of the country to apply for the Basic Income for the Arts.

"When I launched the scheme in February, I spoke about how important this scheme is not just for artists, but for society in general," he said. 

"This is a groundbreaking scheme for the arts, and places Ireland as a world leader in how we support our artists and thereby our culture. 

"A culture which is a keystone of how we present ourselves internationally, how we promote tourism and foreign direct investment into Ireland and how we understand and communicate what it is to be Irish," said the minister. 

Applications will be assessed over the summer, with payment to selected artists beginning before the end of 2026.