That’s just one of the reasons why the November announcement by Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Catherine Martin TD, that funding of €2.95 million was being made available for the promotion of Irish arts globally, was so heartily welcome. The funding — to the value of just over €1 million – came through Culture Ireland’s grants programme, which supports key resource organisations and venues.

It will benefit 99 projects in the areas of circus (€15,800), dance (€113,000), film (€15,400), literature (€24,600), music (€325,100), theatre (283,900), visual arts (€151,200) and multidisciplinary projects (€102,000) taking place in over 30 countries.

Separately, €1,950,000 of Culture Ireland funding will support annual Irish arts programmes to be delivered in 2024 by Literature Ireland, First Music Contact and Irish Film Institute International. Also, two of Ireland’s key cultural centres: Centre Culturel Irlandais (CCI) in Paris and the Irish Arts Center in New York.

Announcing the awards, Minister Martin said: “Under Global Ireland 2025, the Government has committed to share our culture more broadly around the world. Culture Ireland plays a central role in supporting Irish artists to reach audiences of millions worldwide, each year.” Her commitment is paying dividends. Currently, the (CCI) is accepting applications for its annual Artist Residency Programme, which aims to promote Ireland’s contemporary culture internationally. Irish citizens and individuals who normally reside here are eligible to apply by January 16th, provided they have a professional background in creative practice.

While acknowledging that the creative strength of Irish artists and the high quality of their work, means that they continue to be in global demand, Minister Martin also made the point that it is important that Irish artists are supported “to make a far-ranging impact, and to raise awareness of Ireland’s arts and culture”.  

“The resource bodies and venues being funded in 2024 will," she said, “continue to provide opportunities for Irish artists of all genres in key marketplaces, screen Irish film worldwide and support the translation of Irish literature so that it can be read more widely.”

This is all good news for Irish artists, many of whom are now — albeit for a limited amount of time — making ends meet courtesy of the Basic Income for the Arts (BIA) pilot scheme.

One of the most exciting recent endeavours to support Irish artists, this pilot followed a decision by the Irish government to guarantee 2,000 artists a BIA grant of €325 a week, with payments paid monthly. As it’s a research pilot, running from 2022 to 2025, there is no guarantee that funding will continue beyond that period.

Among those selected were painters, writers, circus performers and more. The impact of the fiscal support on the chosen 2,000 is being compared with the experience of another group of creatives who are not in receipt of any such funding.

In the US, a privately funded initiative called Creatives Rebuild New York has been paying 2,400 struggling artists $1,000 stipends a month for 18 months, with another 300 being offered $65,000-a-year jobs.

As was the case in Ireland, these support initiatives were triggered by the particularly ferocious impact the pandemic had on artists’ livelihoods. Many were introduced on a pilot basis to see if they ‘worked.’ It has been reported that Creatives Rebuild New York has seen that data and really believes that it does work.

Back home, while the artist-focussed BIA was, for the recipients, likely a life-changing happening, one that allowed them to disengage from the struggling creative, endeavouring to express their artistry stereotype and focus on their work, it was more than that. It also marked Ireland’s interest in the growing international movement towards universal basic income.