Elinor O’Donovan shares how Ireland’s universal basic income program specifically tailored for artists has had a profound positive impact on her life and artistic endeavors. O’Donovan, a versatile artist based in Dublin, was one of the 2,000 artists and creative arts professionals who participated in the three-year pilot program from 2022 to 2025, receiving a weekly stipend of €325 ($528.90 Cdn).
Expressing her gratitude for the transformative effects of the program on her work and overall well-being, O’Donovan highlights the significant boost it provided. Ireland recently announced the program’s permanence, citing its substantial societal benefits outweighing the government’s costs.
In Canada, advocates for universal basic income are optimistic about the potential for a similar program following Ireland’s success. Despite the Parliamentary Budget Office’s findings that basic income could reduce poverty rates, economists caution against high expectations.
Ireland’s Basic Income for the Arts (BIA) pilot program, initiated in 2022 to aid the arts sector’s recovery post-COVID-19, has been lauded for its success. Culture Minister Patrick O’Donovan praised the program as a remarkable achievement for Ireland, emphasizing the need to ensure its sustainability.
The government’s investment of €105 million ($170.8 million Cdn) in the BIA program was deemed financially beneficial, with an external report revealing that the costs were offset by increased audience engagement, tax revenue, reduced social welfare payments, and enhanced well-being for participants.
Canadian artists have long advocated for basic income, with hopes that the Irish model will catalyze a similar movement in Canada. Campaigning for a broader approach than Ireland’s BIA, proponents aim for a guaranteed basic income for all Canadians below a certain income threshold.
While Canada has experimented with basic income programs at the provincial level, national implementation remains uncertain. Chief economist Mostafa Askari believes the current government focus on economic growth and trade issues may delay considerations for a national basic income. However, advocates like Craig Berggold view a federal basic income program as a potential nation-building initiative despite current economic challenges.