Maynooth University
The socioeconomic benefits of supporting artists through this scheme is worth €100 million to Irish society, writes Dr Jenny Dagg of MU’s Department of Sociology.
Ireland has been in the international spotlight for its arts and culture policies of late as the Government announced that the Basic Income for the Arts pilot scheme was set to become permanent.
The scheme grew out of the pandemic, which had a stark impact on the cultural and creative sectors. It was the first sector to close and the last to open up. Large numbers of artists and creative professionals were left adrift with no work and no income, revealing the depth and scope of the insecure nature of work within the sector.
Artists and creative professionals are highly educated (86.5% have attained a third level education compared to 53% in the general population) but earn low pay. The nature of their work can be a mixture of self-employment, freelance and part-time work. Many combine two or more jobs, or do not have a permanent contract, meaning they are often excluded or only partially covered by social security protections.
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