this post was submitted on 19 Oct 2025
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As Ireland's $1,500-a-month basic income pilot program for creatives nears its end in February, officials have to answer a simple question: Is it worth it?

With four months to go, they say the answer is yes.

Earlier this month, Ireland's government announced its 2026 budget, which includes "a successor to the pilot Basic Income Scheme for the Arts to begin next year" among its expenditures.

Ireland is just one of many places experimenting with guaranteed basic income programs, which provide recurring, unrestricted payments to people in a certain demographic. These programs differ from a universal basic income, which would provide payments for an entire population.

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[–] Unpigged@lemmy.dbzer0.com 7 points 1 day ago

Imagine Irish homeless turn to storytelling as an art in order to be eligible for the pay? That would be incredible.

[–] nulluser@lemmy.world 90 points 2 days ago (2 children)
[–] _edge@discuss.tchncs.de 78 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Also:

Selection process

The department expects a high volume of applications and it will not be possible to provide funding to all eligible applicants.

Selection will be a non-competitive process. Once an applicant satisfies the eligibility criteria they will be included in an anonymised random sampling process to determine the pilot participants from the pool of eligible applicants for the BIA Pilot.

Funding for the scheme will allow for approximately 2,000 eligible applicants to participate in the pilot scheme.

[–] CanadaPlus@lemmy.sdf.org 30 points 2 days ago (11 children)
[–] MNByChoice@midwest.social 110 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (2 children)

Lotteries avoid issues with the deciding committee handing these to their friends.

To an extent, it also can provide better data on outcomes. Instead of biasing for the most motivated, it includes a wider pool, so of whom may otherwise be seen as "unworthy". Then people do people things.

[–] Meron35@lemmy.world 18 points 1 day ago

Not just "to an extent." Randomised Controlled Trials (lotteries) are the gold standard for evaluating policy. The political optics for the general public unfortunately aren't great, but the resulting data will be much more ironclad to refute anyone who argues for repealing such a scheme in the future.

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[–] HubertManne@piefed.social 27 points 2 days ago (2 children)

you see this a lot with these pilots. its funny because you don't really see the actual benefits until everyone gets it. Someone can breathe and take some classes to get into a profession or take some time to get into better shape to become a first responder or start a business.

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[–] gandalf_der_12te@discuss.tchncs.de 33 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (7 children)

that's unfair. what classifies as "art"? am i an artist? I'm not sure.

i think a major point of the UBI scheme was the broad democratic support because everyone benefits from it. if only a specific group of people gets it, that's just another way to split the society. not what we need.

[–] UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world 22 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (2 children)

that’s unfair.

Crabs in a Bucket

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[–] gandalf_der_12te@discuss.tchncs.de 21 points 2 days ago (2 children)

also by the way what i find interesting is that UBI wouldn't actually have to pay for 100% of people's living expenses. imagine i get a $100, then i'm gonna spend $30 of that on food at a nearby restaurant, so the chef and waiters are gonna get money, which they then spend again ... what i'm saying is that $1 in UBI does far more than $1, because people are gonna spend it and then other people are gonna have it ... so you probably need to pay far less than 100% of living expenses, only like maybe 30% could be enough.

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[–] AndyMFK@lemmy.dbzer0.com 11 points 1 day ago

Well, our current system is unfair. So you can get on board with helping struggling artists, or you could rather more people struggle.

If this scheme works out, it doesn't take much to think this could be applied to more and more groups.

It has to start somewhere, and opposing this because it doesn't immediately include everyone is short sighted and selfish imo. Don't let perfect be the enemy of good here.

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[–] Corridor8031@lemmy.ml 59 points 2 days ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (6 children)

as long as influencers dont count as artists, does this sound great

edit: i still want everyone to get UBI and like rather have artists + influencers than none

[–] givesomefucks@lemmy.world 74 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (7 children)

That attitude is why the wealthy will always insist on means testing to oppose progress...

The attitude we need is:

I hope as many people as possible get it now, and we'll keep working on the rest.

Influencers suck, pretty much as a rule.

But everyone deserves to live. And them being UBI proponents and constantly talking about it because they're genuinely happy they got it is a hell of a lot better than them taking cash from a billionaire to pit us against each other.

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[–] SoftestSapphic@lemmy.world 18 points 2 days ago (1 children)

This would fix me

I hate being alive.

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[–] olmecSSB@retrolemmy.com 6 points 1 day ago (2 children)

The criteria for artists they provide is not good. Maybe Ireland is different, but I think broadly, we need more bridge builders than music bands. Both require skill, practice, hardwork and require "art" skills. The difference is, people tend to care about the oversaturated one more. We need both, but one is much more underutilized.

[–] UltraMagnus@startrek.website 3 points 1 day ago

It is a good point, though I suppose the argument would be that it's easier for a bridge builder to find paying work than an artist

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[–] vk6flab@lemmy.radio 35 points 2 days ago (1 children)

I wonder what the criteria are to define what an artist is, or what requirements are needed to qualify for such assistance.

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[–] givesomefucks@lemmy.world 30 points 2 days ago (8 children)

Reminds me of when Ireland uploaded one of the most ridiculous rap videos ever to their country's youtube channel:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljPFZrRD3J8

They've always prioritized the arts, mostly because the English have been trying to erase Irish culture for centuries.

It makes perfect since why Ireland would prioritize Irish artists.

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