All The World’s A Canvas: Ireland Is Paying Artists Rs 33,000 Every Week Just To Create

Last Updated:February 12, 2026, 19:43 IST

Following a three-year pilot program, eligible artists will receive the weekly income for three years, followed by a three-month tapering period.

The Irish government is launching a groundbreaking scheme that will provide 2,000 artists with a basic income of €325 (around Rs 33,000) per week for three years, allowing them to focus on their creative work while maintaining a stable standard of living.

Following a three-year pilot program, eligible artists will receive the weekly income for three years, followed by a three-month tapering period. The income is taxed but not contingent on output, giving creatives financial stability and the freedom to reduce other jobs.

Any type of artist, from writers, visual artists and actors to musicians, make-up designers, and directors, can apply.

Peter Power, an artist, musician and designer on the steering committee of the Campaign for the Arts, which advocated for the scheme, said, “It’s a fundamental change. It changes your relationship with banks, landlords, savings, pensions. The fundamental architecture of being a secure citizen becomes available to you… it’s hard to put a metric on that."

For artists like Aisling O’Mara, who were part of the pilot scheme, the basic income was a lifeline. She described it as “life changing," particularly because she discovered she was pregnant when accepted into the program.

“Without it, I don’t think it would be feasible for me and my daughter to continue living the way we are, and I don’t think it would have been possible for me to still be in this industry," she said.

The scheme is not unlimited. Only a quarter of applicants from the pilot were selected and recipients will need to reapply after their three-year term. Peter Power emphasised that this represents a new approach to how art is valued socially and culturally, calling it a first step toward fairer support for artists.

The Department for Culture, Communications and Sport reported record Arts Council funding of €140 million (around Rs 14 crore) in 2026, an increase of 75% since 2020. Independent analysis of the scheme found that for every €1 invested, society gained €1.39 in economic and social benefits.

“A lot of where we find value as a culture resides in storytelling, resides in making art," Peter Power said.

News world All The World’s A Canvas: Ireland Is Paying Artists Rs 33,000 Every Week Just To Create

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