Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour)
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355.To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the supports in place for artists reliant on universal basic income after 2025; her views on initial data gathered by way of the six-monthly surveys; how that data is being deployed by her Department; her views on the extension of the scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24719/24]

Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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The Basic Income for the Arts pilot is a unique opportunity to gather data on the Arts sector that we did not have before. The research programme is an important part of the pilot and will inform Government policy in the future on support for Irish artists and creative arts workers. 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 sector within Ireland and how it’s funded. It will help us to make further progress towards a more evidence-based approach to funding for the Arts. Data published through the reports is of use to the Department, the Arts Council, local authorities and arts organisations. The research crucially shows the reality for artists and I have consistently emphasised the importance of the research as part of the pilot as it demonstrates the practical impacts the basic income has for those in receipt.

The primary objective of the data collection is to capture a wide range of information related to the 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.

A year on, the BIA payment is having a consistent, positive impact across almost all indicators; affecting practice development, sectoral retention, well-being, and deprivation. Artists in receipt of the support are typically able to devote more time to their art, have a boost to their wellbeing through greater life satisfaction and reduced anxiety, and are protected from the precariousness of incomes in the sector to a greater degree than those who are not receiving the support.

When I became Minister, I was determined to focus on supporting professional arts practice and demonstrating to artists that they are valued, that their work is appreciated and that the contribution they make to enhancing all of our lives is understood.

Accordingly, in line with that commitment to supporting artists, in the last four years:

• funding for the Culture programme in my department has grown by over 90%
• funding for the Arts Council has grown by 68%
• funding for Screen Ireland has grown by 88%
• funding for Culture Ireland has grown 65%
• funding of €105 million is in place for the Basic Income for the Arts Research Programme
• funding for National Cultural Institutions has increased by over 50%
• we are supporting the provision of new artist workspaces in Dublin City and elsewhere