Positive outcomes for artists in the Scheme 

Findings emphasise artists’ financial challenges  

Increase in demand for Arts Council grants underscores need 

The Arts Council welcomes the report on the Basic Income for Artists issued by the Department of Tourism,
Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media today. The report, based on six months of data from the pilot scheme, marks a significant milestone in understanding the challenges and aspirations of artists in Ireland.  

The first six months of the Basic Income for Arts pilot scheme show positive outcomes – artists have been enabled to focus on their work and invest in their practice, and they are experiencing increased well-being. The report reflects the Arts Council’s
ongoing advocacy for fair artist pay and underscores the need for sustaining Ireland’s vibrant arts community.   

The findings emphasise the importance of having this information as it reveals gaps in income and highlights that artists are engaged in a high level of unpaid work. The data bears out other research relating to the financial challenges of artists and
also the practical experience of the Arts Council where the need and demand for funding has trebled in many areas since 2020.   

The Arts Council’s policy Paying the Artist states that “the underpaid or unpaid contributions of artists represent a hidden subsidy to the cultural life of Ireland” and advocates that the fair and equitable remuneration of artists is prioritised.  

The Arts Council is committed to working with the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media on future-focused development in this critical area. 

Maureen Kennelly, Director of the Arts Council, said:

“We welcome the first review of the Basic Income for Arts scheme. The scheme is a transformative step towards empowering our artistic community. This initiative recognises the vital role of artists in shaping our cultural narrative and provides them
with the financial stability they need in order to build viable careers. Given the scale of demand, there is now a pressing need to increase investment in our artists, so that we support their ability to work and that we nurture a more vibrant,
diverse, and resilient arts landscape for the benefit of society as a whole.”  

The Arts Council, with the aid of Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, is committed to promoting and supporting the arts, ensuring a thriving cultural landscape in Ireland. Initiatives, such as the Basic Income for Artists
scheme, aim to create a sustainable environment in which artists can flourish and the public have the widest possible access to artistic excellence.  

The reports into the arts sector have compiled from data collected from BIA pilot participants and are available here and here.

The first Impact Assessment (6-month) of the Basic Income Pilot Scheme is also published today and is available here.
 

←Return to the news

Americans for the Arts is pleased to announce that Mariaesmeralda Paguaga has joined the organization as its new Vice President of Strategic Communications.

Paguaga comes to Americans for the Arts with a broad and deep cultural foundation from which to build Americans for the Arts’ strategic communications plan that meets the needs of the organization’s diverse audiences internally and externally. Bringing over two decades of social impact leadership, Paguaga has an extensive and proven record in achieving transformational change via strategic communications, program innovation, brand positioning, integrated marketing campaigns, strategic partnerships, celebrity and dignitary relations, creative production, and mission-driven events. Her career has been anchored working with the public, private, and nonprofit sectors, including over 15 years as an international civil servant within the UN System and as part of leadership teams within international NGOs.

Americans for the Arts’ President and CEO Nolen V. Bivens commented, “I am excited to welcome Mariaesmeralda Paguaga to Americans for the Arts. She is a true ‘people-first’ leader who will support, develop, and build our communications team. As the organization concludes its Strategic Realignment Process and workplace culture rebuild, Mariaesmeralda is an incredible ambassador for an inclusive organization, as well as the arts and culture ecosystem as a whole.”  

Most recently, Paguaga led PeaceTech Lab’s Office of Strategic Communications and Special Projects at the U.S. Institute of Peace (USIP). During the global pandemic in 2020, she conceptualized, directed, and produced the prestigious International Peace Honors (IPH), a global event broadcasted in Spanish, Portuguese, French, Kiswahili, and sign language, to inspire global action. The IPH celebrates the impactful work of some of the most outstanding global leaders and changemakers who help defend human rights and protect the environment, and lead global actions for the fight for equality and social justice.

Paguaga directed the Office of Innovation and Strategy at the Pan American Development Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the Organization of American States (OAS); and served as executive vice president of the Hispanic Heritage Foundation, created by the White House in 1987, where she strengthened the organization’s financial viability and operations and expanded its work across international borders. She also executive produced the Hispanic Heritage Awards at the Kennedy Center, which were broadcasted on NBC, Telemundo, and the Armed Forces Network.

Paguaga has served as a founding board member of the Latin Songwriters Hall of Fame. A devoted social-impact executive, the arts have been a constant in her life and career. She has applied and lived the power of music as a bridge for peace and galvanizer for social good; art therapy as a release of emotional trauma for children in refugee camps; storytelling as a unifying force for communities; dance as a connecting thread to ethnic diversity, health, and wellbeing; and creativity and innovation as drivers of creative problem solving and global socioeconomic development.