Basic Income for Artists continues to have a positive impact
In a newly commissioned report on the Basic Income for the Arts (BIA), more than 50 recipients were interviewed by a sociologist to talk about the changes that the BIA has brought to their lives. This report builds on and complements previously published assessments of the pilot which found that the Basic Income for the Arts had a consistent, positive impact on almost all indicators including on practice development, sectoral retention, wellbeing, for recipients, and has reduced deprivation rates among the recipients. Social Justice Ireland welcomes the findings of this research. It highlights and reinforces the impact of the basic income payment across a broad range of indicators, and the positive benefits it has in all areas from increasing artistic output, improved wellbeing, reduced deprivation and retention of artists within the arts sector. We urge Government to use this research to inform the design and implementation of a universal basic income to be introduced over time.
Report main findings
- Providing a basic income for the arts significantly impacts the subjective experience of financial uncertainty in the lives of recipients.
- Reduced anxiety around making ends meet has increased time as a resource for creative pursuits.
- Increased time for creative pursuits has resulted in greater artist autonomy - greater ability to plan and navigate their own creative paths.
- Recipients articulate greater self-efficacy. They feel validated, empowered and confident to exert personal agency within their creative profession and their broader social relationships.
These findings are in line with previous evaluations of the pilot which found that the Basic Income for the Arts payment had a consistent, positive impact on almost all indicators. It had a positive impact on practice development, sectoral retention, wellbeing, for recipients, and reduced deprivation rates among the recipients. Those artists in receipt of the basic income spent more time on their art practice per week, less time working in other sectors, were more likely to be able to sustain themselves through arts work alone and were suffering less from depression and anxiety.
The findings of this newly published report look at income security, social impact, practice development and community engagement among others. More detailed findins are presented below.
Income security:
1. The stability of the payment has significantly reduced underlying financial stress to provide relief and peace of mind that allows recipients to experience a reduced sense of anxiety about meeting their basic needs.
2. The BIA payment is primarily considered a supplementary income, the majority of recipients did not live off the basic income alone. For most, the BIA is allocated towards rent and bills (tax, groceries, business expenses, running and maintaining a vehicle, caring responsibilities).
3. Recipients, including those with disabilities, who reported the BIA as their primary source of income remained in a financially uncertain situation struggling to get by and subject to hardship should adverse events occur within their lives.
4. Recipients with disabilities report reductions to their medical and disability support as a result of accepting the BIA payment and obstacles around accepting work that impacts welfare thresholds.
5. For young and recently qualified artists the ability to pay their rent means that they can commit to renting longer term which enables them to retain their network, remain in proximity to work opportunities, and reconsider emigrating.
6. Recipients describe the basic income as a ‘buffer’ or ‘safety net’ (in situations where they have not been successful in, for example, selling a particular work, landing a particular role); supporting them financially to take the time to reassess their options or opportunities and importantly, try again.
7. Recipients spoke of being able to generate savings and invest in their future for the first time.
8. Those who identified as female, or a gender other than male, reported financial insecurity around maternity benefit, affordable childcare, and managing caring responsibilities alongside their art practice.
9. Recipients spoke of the importance of the basic income as a ‘buffer’ or ‘safety net’ for ‘unexpected financial costs’ like having to move house, or adverse life events including illness, relationship breakdown, family bereavement, or unfortunate events like the theft of equipment.
10. Recipients emphasised their effort to reflect and reprioritise their work practices. Saying no to work opportunities reflects greater artistic autonomy as they prioritise their own creative development and focus on higher quality, more meaningful, and long-term projects, commissions and collaborations.
Time and Focus:
1. The opportunity to focus more on their specific creative interests opened new possibilities and career trajectories.
2. The BIA has enabled artists to dedicate more time to their artistic practice with less pressure to take on additional projects or work. This sense of ‘time to make art’ is especially important for disabled artists who often require more time to create work, or who operate at a pace in accordance with their impairment.
3. Recipients with young children found it extremely difficult to find time for their art practice due to a lack of affordable childcare.
4. While some recipients reduced the level of alternative work and some quit altogether, others report the way in which they structure creative labour according to the payment i.e. working two or three days a week on writing, researching, preparing, making or practising for projects etc.
5. For young and emerging artists being in receipt of the BIA has enabled them to learn what it means to be self-employed as an artist and to develop and improve their self discipline.
6. Time for artists who are more established, is bringing a shift in momentum and confidence enabling them to overcome insecurities in releasing completed work.
7. Recipients who have a specific commercial side to their art practice report focusing more of their time on learning new techniques to develop new designs.
8. Recipients also describe developing their critical awareness by travelling to experience important shows or exhibitions, performances or cultural events and often connect with other artists after the event.
Artistic output and quality:
1. Recipients report their ability to take on larger-scale more ambitious projects that were previously not feasible due to financial constraints.
2. Recipients articulate how less mental strain around finances has improved their focus, concentration, and mental well-being, which positively impacts their creative process.
3. They report that the time devoted to researching, experimenting, taking risks and failing has improved the quality of their work.
4. Recipients report that their ability to access and invest in resources to support their work contributes to an improvement in quality.
Professional growth and opportunities:
1. Recipients discuss ways in which they have upskilled and invested in quality materials, equipment or professional platforms linked to their creative practice.
2. New possibilities of investing in online and in-person courses, workshops and residencies to expand their career options, increase their level of income and ensure continuity of artistic labour.
3. Formal networking opportunities, often held during working hours, were impossible for some recipients to attend, especially those that had full time jobs or even worked part-time prior to receiving the BIA. Now, established recipients discuss accepting opportunities to network whether to promote a specific piece of work, acknowledge an award, or gain knowledge in a specific area without undue financial strain.
4. Recipients with a migrant background, and those with disabilities, face barriers in accessing formal networks and networking events. For migrants, it can take time to discover the network relevant to their field, with a lack of support to navigate access, participate and learn from it. For disabled artists, networking events can be inaccessible both in how the communication is mediated, the physical environment of the event space, and how the event is structured.
5. Being part of a collective enabled recipients to establish peer support and have greater social power to contribute to local politics and advocate for access to community spaces in locations where cultural centres or interdisciplinary spaces are lacking.
6. Recipients in urban locations spoke of the limited availability of studio space, the cost of studio space, and some formed collectives around specific identities to ensure greater social power in advocating for space and recognition of their art and identities
Social Impact:
- Recipients acknowledge that the BIA payment makes them feel ‘legitimate’ and validated, that ‘I am an artist’ and that being an artist is now a valid and valued profession.
- Recipients across age groups report an increased ability to connect with their networks, to socialise and participate in cultural and community activities.
Mental Health:
- Recipients report better sleep quality and reduced stress levels which positively impact their physical and mental health.
- Many recipients report feeling calmer with greater clarity and self-confidence to engage in their creative process and the future of their career.
- Recipients report accessing free mental health support through Minding Creative Minds and, in some cases, continuing private mental health support.
Physical health, Leisure and self-care:
- Recipients describe having more time to consider focusing on their health as well as the resources to improve specific areas of their health including regular health check-ups, dental care, reproductive healthcare, trans health care, and addressing minor health concerns.
- Leisure activities were often connected to recipients’ creative and professional interests; however, they now have more freedom to explore these interests for personal enjoyment rather than solely for work.
- Travel was considered an important part of leisure. Time that was not dedicated to producing work enabled recipients to plan trips that often combined work with time off.