The Irish government is implementing a pioneering scheme that will give 2,000 artists a basic income for three years, allowing them to focus on their creative output while maintaining an adequate standard of living.
Under the scheme, which follows a three-year pilot, eligible creatives will receive €325 ($386) a week for three years followed by a period of three months when their income will steadily reduce.
The income is taxed, but is not contingent on their output, allowing creatives to have a relatively stable income, plan ahead and work fewer other jobs to sustain themselves.
Any type of artist, from writers, visual artists and actors to musicians, make-up designers and…