A public consultation on the future of the Basic Income for the Arts (BIA) initiative has revealed overwhelming support for making the scheme permanent, according to a statement released today by Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport, Patrick O'Donovan TD.
The consultation, which ran from 12 August to 5 September 2025, received more than 17,000 responses. Of those, over 7,600 came from the general public, and more than 7,400 from artists who are not currently receiving the payment. Nearly 75% of existing BIA recipients also participated in the survey.
Overall, 97% of all respondents — including both the wider public and the arts sector — indicated support for making the scheme a permanent fixture.
The BIA initiative currently provides a weekly payment of €325 to selected artists as part of a pilot scheme aimed at supporting creative work and cultural development. The pilot launched in 2022 with 2,000 artists and creative arts workers selected through a lottery system.
Respondents were also asked about how future recipients should be selected. Of those surveyed, 47% supported selection based on economic need, while 37.5% favoured selection based on artistic track record or merit. Another 14% preferred random selection, the current method used in the pilot.
Regarding the payment amount, just over 50% of respondents said the current level is "about right," while 44% believe it is too low. Responses also varied on how long artists should receive the payment: the average suggested duration was 12 years, while the median response was 5 years.
Minister O’Donovan described the consultation as "possibly the largest response to a public consultation conducted in this Department." He added that his department is now analysing the data in order to prepare a full public consultation report.
"The results show that BIA is appreciated not only by the arts sector but also by society at large," the Minister said.
The Department of Culture, Communications and Sport has not yet confirmed whether or when a decision will be made on the future of the BIA scheme; the Minister has said that he intends to bring proposals for a 'successor scheme' to government as part of Budget 2026.
