The Department of Culture, Communications and Sport has now published the application guidelines for the Basic Income for the Arts Scheme 2026–2029. Applications will open at 1pm on Wednesday 15 April and close at 5pm on Tuesday 12 May 2026. The scheme will support 2,000 practising professional artists, with recipients receiving €325 per week for three years. Payments will begin before the end of 2026 and will be backdated to September 2026.
The guidelines make clear that the scheme is for professional practising artists only. Applicants must be aged 18 or over, primarily based in the Republic of Ireland, tax compliant, and able to show that their creative practice is active and mainly based in Ireland. Most applicants will need to upload three approved proofs of professional artistic practice, with at least two of those proofs coming from an Irish organisation, grant body or representative body.
For musicians, the published proofs are especially worth reading closely. The guidelines include examples such as having released a single, EP or album in the last three years, evidence of IMRO Writers Membership, Musicians’ Union of Ireland professional membership, RAAP membership, royalties, artist tax exemption, appearances on Breaking Tunes, and performances in recognised venues or festivals with curated programmes.
The Department has also said that the scheme is not a universal basic income, but a sector-specific measure aimed at supporting practising professional artists. All applicants must complete a survey as part of the application, and recipients will be required to take part in ongoing data collection for the duration of the scheme. Artists who receive social welfare payments can apply, but the effect on existing payments will depend on individual circumstances, so applicants are strongly advised to check with the Department of Social Protection before accepting an offer.
FMC webinar for musicians
To help musicians get ready, First Music Contact will host a Basic Income Guidelines Webinar on Monday 13 April at 4pm. The session will walk through the guidelines as they relate to musicians and give attendees the chance to ask questions along the way.
This should be a useful session for artists planning to apply and wanting to prepare properly ahead of the application window opening. Readers should use the supplied registration link to book a place, and read the official guidelines and FAQ in full before starting an application.