The Europeans | European news, politics and culture How Ireland proved a basic income for artists actually works
Nov 20, 2025
In this engaging discussion, John Baker, co-founder of the Equality Studies Centre at University College Dublin, explores Ireland's innovative Basic Income for the Arts pilot. He highlights how providing artists with a guaranteed income has not only boosted their creativity but also enabled them to produce more work while relying less on welfare. Baker also contrasts Ireland's approach with other pilots and discusses the broader implications for universal payments in the face of economic challenges, including job disruptions from AI.
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