The Government of Ireland launched the Basic Income for the Arts (BIA) pilot in 2022, providing 2,000 artists and creative professionals with a weekly, unconditional payment of €325. Alma Economics was commissioned to deliver the independent evaluation of this novel policy.

We designed and implemented a quasi-experimental design, using individual-level survey data from BIA recipients and a comparator group of artists who did not receive BIA support. Our analysis resulted in credible estimates of the impact of the pilot on professional practice, income, and wellbeing, while also exploring differences across socio-economic groups and art forms. We complemented this with a social Cost-Benefit Analysis (CBA) to quantify the wider value of the pilot.

Our evaluation found that the pilot caused a shift from employment outside the arts to work within the sector, and significantly strengthened artists’ professional autonomy and development, as well as their psychological wellbeing. Recipients increased time and investment in artistic practice, produced more work, and engaged more with the public. They also experienced increased income from their practice and reduced financial strain.

Our CBA showed that every €1 invested in the pilot generated €1.39 in social value, with substantial benefits arising from increased productivity in the arts sector, improvements in psychological wellbeing for recipients and audience engagement with arts and culture. These findings provide the strongest evidence to date on the potential of a scaled-up BIA, providing evidence that will be central to shaping future decisions.

Read the report here.