'A once-in-a-generation policy intervention': Minister for Arts Launches Online Consultation on Basic Income for the Arts

Minister Catherine Martin

'A once-in-a-generation policy intervention': Minister for Arts Launches Online Consultation on Basic Income for the Arts

Deadline for completing survey is 27 January; responses sought from artists, those working in the arts sector, and the public.

The Minister for Arts Catherine Martin has launched an online consultation on the Basic Income for the Arts (BIA) pilot scheme to obtain the views of artists, those working in arts and culture, and the public.

The online survey is open for responses from today and will remain open until Thursday 27 January 2022.

This latest consultation follows a forum meeting that took place on 15 December with representatives from over 50 arts organisations and which sought initial feedback from the arts sector.

The BIA pilot scheme, which will provide a set number of people working in the arts (the figure of two thousand people was mentioned last October) with a basic payment each week to allow them to focus full-time on their artistic work, is set to open for applications early this year. It was the number one recommendation of the Arts and Culture Recovery Taskforce which Minister Martin established in 2020 as a response to the pandemic. The pilot scheme will take place over three years in order to gather research on outcomes.

Commenting on the online consultation, Minister Martin said:

I encourage everyone interested to get involved in the online consultation for the Basic Income for the Arts pilot. Your views will help shape the final design of the pilot when it rolls out in the coming months.

This is a once-in-a-generation policy intervention, a measure that I believe will redraw the landscape for the arts for hopefully many years to come. Our culture and the arts are a fundamental expression of who we are as a nation. Our rich cultural heritage is one of our greatest assets, and our artists weave a sense of identity, creativity and belonging into the fabric of our communities.

The intrinsic societal value of culture and the arts was particularly evident during the pandemic, where it provided colour, light and hope in uncertain times.

The online questionnaire covers areas such as objectives, eligibility, selection process, and rate of payment. To access the questionnaire, see here

Published on 6 January 2022

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