A local senator has criticised the delay in announcing a successor scheme to the Basic Income for the Arts programme, which is due to expire in 5 months time.
The scheme provides a regular income of €325 per week for over 2,000 artists throughout the country, with 46 recipients in Carlow and Kilkenny.
Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media Patrick O’Donovan has yet to make a decision on the continuation of the scheme, which was introduced in 2022.
Speaking to KCLR News, Social Democrats Senator Patricia Stephenson spoke about the scheme’s importance.
“Artists can often live in very precarious financial situations, because, you know, its gig work, its not consistent”, she said, before continuing that “People listeninf to this across Carlow and Kilkenny will know how important the arts are, through our festivals, our local economies, tourists love coming in and seeing our art offerings.”
“Its such a range of things, it can be painters, potters, we have great drama, we obviously have great animation in Kilkenny, music and so much more, and I think this is such an important scheme for really supporting artists and making sure we can foster them, and that they thrive.”
