51 artists in Kerry are participating in the Basic Income for the Arts pilot research scheme.
The Basic Income for the Arts (BIA) pilot scheme provides a weekly payment of €325 to 2,000 selected artists and creative arts workers in Ireland to support their creative practice.
The aim of the Basic Income for the Arts (BIA) pilot scheme is to address financial instability in the arts sector and explore the impact of a basic income on artists' work and well-being.
The scheme was initially stated to run from 2022 to 2025, however it will be extended to February 2026.
Nationwide there are 1968 participants on the scheme, which costs approximately €35m per year.
51 of the participants are based in Kerry, with the highest number of participants based in Cork, at 203, followed by Dublin, at 180.
The figures were provided by Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Patrick O'Donovan, following a query from Fine Gael TD Barry Ward.
