The Government announced at the end of last week that it is extending the pilot scheme which guarantees minimum income for some artists and musicians for another six months.
Currently, around 2,000 artists in Ireland who applied for the scheme (and were picked to take part from more than 9,000 applicants) receive €350 a week. The basic income scheme was proposed as support which would give the artist space for creativity – with the Government vowing to examine the effects of the scheme on things like productivity.
While it might be questionable to encourage giving out more State money to people for, essentially, no guarantee of work, the Government defended its decision in an article published in the Irish Times on Friday.
It said that a report is being prepared by the Department of Culture, examining the first two years of the scheme, and an independent research report has been drawn up. A cost-benefit analysis will also be completed, it says. While the research phase is ongoing, the department said in a statement that it was “clear from the evidence” collated to date that the payment was having “a consistent, positive impact across almost all indicators.”
The Irish Times reports: “It said artists are able to devote more time to their work, produce more pieces, experience a boost to their wellbeing, feel less anxious and feel protected from the precariousness of incomes in the sector.”
What’s really quite funny is that the Department of Culture acts as though this is some kind of an amazing revelation. But wouldn’t we all be less stressed and more relaxed if we had an extra €350 a week coming into our bank accounts? Without having to do anything in return?
Imagine if, as a writer, I got €1300 a month (in addition to my wages) so that I can become a more creative writer. I would love that. I would certainly be happier and less anxious about meeting deadlines. Only in Ireland would the Government spend months drawing up State-backed research to come to the obvious conclusion: People are happier when they get free money.
That’s not rocket science – and it’s laughable that the government had to spend God knows how much on research reaching such a conclusion. And while it may be great for the people getting the free money, is it affordable? It may be a noble endeavour, but we all know it’s incredibly expensive for the State to pay people not to work.
If we have a minimum income for all artists, what’s to stop us from arguing that everyone should get money for – technically – nothing? Why shouldn’t every single person be entitled to similar, or a couple, or every struggling single parent? The concept of a basic universal income is gaining traction with Gen Zers, who are increasingly rebelling against hustle culture in favour of mental health days off, working from home, and four day weeks.
If we are to make a universal basic income – a guaranteed, unconditional income – for artists, then there will be the inevitable calls to make sure we have one for everyone, including the many people who are completely hostile to the idea that they should have to work to pay bills. The artists scheme is likely just the start of of getting the ball rolling on an idea that many on the left have been plugging away at for years, with similar pilot schemes announced in the UK funded by philanthropists, councils and local authorities (those selected can’t believe their luck).
But the cost of a basic income for every person of working age is ginormous, and would necessitate raising taxes enormously. Where would we end up? With extremely high tax rates and a big disincentive to earn extra income – versus a strong incentive to avoid tax.
Maybe giving struggling artists and others a guaranteed income is a great idea and a way to encourage more socially valuable, rewarding work – but the skeptical part of me wonders if it’s all a bit of a crazy fantasy which, if it becomes mainstream, will make us (even more) workshy.
There also seems to be a question mark hanging over whether a basic income for artists removes entitlement to other welfare payments – like child benefit, housing benefit, or disability benefit. In 2023, for example, then Minister for the Arts Catherine Martin was informed that persons who participated in the basic income for artists scheme were being pursued with debt letters for thousands of euros in social protection overpayments.Claims were also made during a Dáil questions session that artists were given no warning prior to or following the commencement of the scheme that receipt of the basic income payment would impact them in this way.
Aengus Ó Snodaigh TD who raised the matter highlighted one case in particular, of an artist who ‘proactively’ sought clarity on the impact of the basic income scheme on his Jobseekers Allowance Payment prior to his participation:
“The person in question was doing everything right in just seeking clarity, yet the Department continued to pay him. That meant he ended up with a payment of €3,000 that is now being demanded of him,” he said.
Storm clouds are already gathering regarding our finances, with an over-reliance on corporation tax receipts to concerns about the impact of our rapidly ageing population on the public purse strings, particularly when it comes to footing the bill for pensions and healthcare. Will any of these grand schemes be affordable?
The other big problem with these schemes is, of course, that some of us would probably support them in principle, but who gets the funding, and do they deserve it? There is also the question of whether there are benefits for artists of not being publicly subsidised. Having free money might indeed relieve stress and anxiety, but there are always strings attached.
Earlier this month, the Irish Government agency for developing the arts – the Arts Council – splashed more than €74,000 on Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) initiatives last year alone according to figures released to Gript. The policy, according to the Arts Council, is in place to promote “equality of opportunity, access and outcomes for all those living in Ireland regardless of their gender, sexual orientation, civil or family status, religion, age, disability, race, membership of the Traveller community, or socioeconomic status.” Surely, this is a blatant example of the Arts Council wasting money?
Are schemes like handing out free money another such example? It already costs €700,000 to fund one month of this scheme for 2,000 artists (who don’t have to produce a thing in return). If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Is it even a tad bit patronising to assume that artists need help to create art without mooching off others to pay for it? As taxpayers, are we investing in pretentious and ideologically driven rubbish, or real talent? How do we know?
The scheme is not means tested (though the payments are taxable) – and the skeptics have rightly pointed out the weekly amount paid to artists is actually higher than the €260 per week carers allowance, and more than the €244 per week disability allowance, or the €289.30 weekly State contributory pension payment for a single person. This, in itself, raises questions.
Some of the art projects sponsored by the State that I’ve looked at have been pretty dreadful – like the Brigit festival backed by Dublin City Council and others. It’s the type of festival that claims to celebrate women while leaving certain women out. The fourth edition of the ‘Brigit’ festival last year chose to celebrate the mysterious Celtic goddess rather than the saint, while female DJs like ‘Jezebel’ and ‘Puzzy Wrangler’ were roped into the celebrations.
The previous year, you may remember reading that activities organised by Dublin City Council to mark the feast day included body painting, meditation and the new age practice of tarot card reading, as well as craft workshops such as ‘Create Your Own Boob Pots’ (clay-making) or the Dublin Sewcial Club “stitch and bitch”. Lovin’ Dublin also recommends a bizarre ‘Create Your Own Vulva’ two-hour workshop which the website says ‘Brigid would have loved’.
Do we want to fund this kind of nonsense? I doubt many of us do. But when the government is holding the purse strings for artists, is more of that nonsense exactly what we’ll get?