Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 18 April 2024
2. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media in light of the basic income for artists initial report, if she will commit now to including a full roll-out of this scheme for all artists in budget 2025; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17256/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe basic income for artists was introduced at the end of 2022 after a great deal of campaigning by the arts sector. To date, it has led to significant improvements in the well-being and mental health of artists, a reduction in the amount of time they have to work in other jobs, an increase in the amount of time they work at their arts practice and some improvements in people's incomes and deprivation levels, the latter of which were significant before the scheme's introduction. As we head into the budget, are we going to extend the pilot scheme to other artists?
The basic income for the arts is a once-in-a-generation policy intervention that has the potential to transform the lives of artists. The scheme is part of a suite of measures I have introduced to support professional arts practice, including record funding of €134 million for the Arts Council, increased funding for Screen Ireland, the highest level of funding for Culture Ireland since its establishment, a new pilot capital support scheme for arts, culture and the night-time economy, and increased funding for Creative Ireland.
The basic income for the arts is accompanied by a three-year research programme, which started in October 2022 and will continue until the end of the pilot in 2025. The primary objective of this data collection is to capture a wide range of information related to artists' demographics, income sources, spending habits, financial well-being, work and job quality, perceptions of the arts sector, time use, health and well-being, and experiences of discrimination. The research programme is a unique opportunity to gather data on the sector that we did not have before. In researching impacts on recipients and on the ecology of the arts, this pilot scheme has the potential to change the landscape of the arts and how we fund them. It will help us to make further progress towards a more evidence-based approach to funding for the arts and to tell a story about the sector based to a greater extent on data.
While I am optimistic that the basic income payment is having a positive impact on those receiving it, I am cognisant of the data that is emerging about the difficult conditions that artists find themselves in more generally. Therefore, I have instructed my officials to organise a status of the artist conference that will focus on income and working conditions in the arts. The conference will take place next month in Dublin.
Once the research on the basic income for the arts is finalised, the Government will be in a position to assess the programme. The evidence that is derived from this scheme will form the basis for the development and implementation of new guidelines and Government policy. My officials are working on a further report that will analyse the first year of the pilot, which is scheduled to be published in quarter 2.
Before the pilot scheme, 72% of respondents to a survey earned less than the national hourly average and 16% earned less than the minimum wage. The reality for most people working in the arts is precariousness, a lack of employment and income security, being forced out of the arts because they cannot sustain themselves, and high levels of deprivation and stress due to their precarious situations. It is clear from the reports to date that the scheme has improved, albeit not enough, the situation of arts workers, so why delay extending it? I welcome the reference to the forum. Will arts spokespeople be allowed to attend it so that it can hear what artists are saying? We need to engage with artists and should extend the scheme now.
It would be good to have artists' spokespeople attend such a conference, given how they speak for artists and various parties. I am happy to extend an invitation to them and give them the details of the conference's date in May, its format and its agenda.
I assure the Deputy that, as the Minister who introduced this support, I am aware of the pilot scheme's benefits. It is a three-year research pilot. I have placed critical emphasis on that research to help gather data and inform future decisions. We have only had one publication of research to date, but the benefits that have emerged are obvious. I do not just mean the benefits to the recipients' arts practices but also to the recipients' well-being. I have received direct feedback from many recipients about the transformational impact of the basic income support. I know how important it has been for artists.
The research is ongoing. It is critical that we gather further data to have the best possible information on which to make future policy decisions, so we need all of this research. Notwithstanding my firm commitment to the support, the Deputy should appreciate that I cannot anticipate the budgetary process in April.
There was a promise a number of years ago by, I believe, the then Taoiseach, Deputy Varadkar, who was under pressure from the campaigning by the arts sector, that arts spending would be doubled. I doubt that has happened. Maybe the Minister could comment on this. Our percentage of GDP spent on arts is significantly less than the European average, so we have a long way to go even if there have been some improvements as a result of the campaigning by arts workers in recent years.
I do not believe that the gathering of research means there is no need to expand the scheme. We could expand the value of the research. There were 8,000 applicants for the scheme, but only 2,000 people got on it. It is clearly improving the situation for arts workers, whose starting point was not good. The situation is still blighted by precariousness and insecurity of employment and income. Why not expand the scheme now? That would align with the commitment given previously to substantially increase the amount of money going into the arts sector.
If I have all of the research, it will help to form a stronger case for my argument to extend the scheme. I am trying to do what is best for the artist community.
Regarding investment in the arts, while there is always more to be done, funding for the culture programme in my Department in the four years since I became Minister has grown by over 90%, funding for the Arts Council has grown by 68%, funding for Screen Ireland has grown by 88% and funding for Culture Ireland has grown by 65%. The ground-breaking basic income for the arts research programme represents an investment of €105 million. Funding for the national cultural institutions has increased by over 50%. We are supporting the provision of new artist workspaces in Dublin city and elsewhere.
I am absolutely committed. The track record shows that, as do the changes that are happening in the sector and the support it is finally receiving. The Deputy will probably agree that the sector was probably neglected for many years. I will continue to be committed to the highest possible levels of support for the arts.
