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Ireland rolls out basic income scheme for artists

reuters.com

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Re: Ireland rolls out basic income scheme for artists

#131

Post by TheOtherHobbes »

nradov wrote: post #103
_DeadFred_ wrote: post #93

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm not sure the exact trajectory but it's going pretty quickly now. "Ray Dalio says America is developing a ‘dependency’ on the top 1% of workers, while the bottom 60% are struggling and unproductive" https://fortune.com/2025/10/27/ray-dalio-america-dependeny-t ... "Millions of Americans Are Becoming Economically Invisible " https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45374779

Ray Dalio says a lot of things, only about half are correct. Where is the data? Employers are quick to fire unproductive workers and yet the unemployment rate remains low.

The figures exclude workers who would like to work but have given up, and those who work part-time but would like a full-time job.

The U-6 rate is nearly twice the rate of the official figures.

Re: Ireland rolls out basic income scheme for artists

#132

Post by sollewitt »

jamesbelchamber wrote: post #63

If they think this is good/important then fine but what they've created is a grant programme, not a UBI. Personally I would have thought this money would have been better spent getting people on the margins the stability to retrain into in-demand skilled careers (e.g. single, unskilled parents training as electricians or plumbers). That feels like it would be a more durable, multi-generational benefit. But again, thi…

Society needs art. Artists produce art. There a pantheon of greats that had no commercial success in their lives but moved our culture, we’d be so much more culturally impoverished if we’d insisted they become shit plumbers.

Re: Ireland rolls out basic income scheme for artists

#134

Post by pessimizer »

anigbrowl wrote: post #129
seneca wrote: post #52

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Mostly because the kind of people who run and advocate for programs like this are actively hostile to the idea of merit. Prioritizing talented people would be antithetical to them.

I bet you also think government shouldn't be picking winners and losers.

And thinks that s/he's a winner and the stuff s/he enjoys is made by winners, and the stuff s/he doesn't like is made by losers. Merit, universal, objective = ME; Worthless, narcissistic, special interest = YOU.

Re: Ireland rolls out basic income scheme for artists

#136

Post by bawolff »

yesfitz wrote: post #10

Previous discussions: 3 months ago: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45590900 4 years ago: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=29977176 People have seemed critical of the presentation, scope, and goal of this program. (e.g. It's not "universal" basic income, the number of recipients is limited to 2,000, and why are artists being subsidized instead of essential workers?) Now it seems that we'll get some real worl…

I dont see how we are getting "answers". Disagreeing with program design is not a question.

Tbh though, that doesn't sound that special. Many countries subsidize artists.

Re: Ireland rolls out basic income scheme for artists

#138

Post by stubish »

lkrubner wrote: post #121

“Ireland offers long-term grants for artists” is how this would have been written 50 years ago. The idea is not new, only the rhetoric.

Grants operate differently over here. You have to write a submission, proposing works and budget and generally justifying. It is assessed by a committee. Politics gets involved. And a few people get larger chunks of money and the people holding the purse strings retain control on what is produced. It is essentially work on commission for the government, except you rarely get 100% of your costs covered.

Whereas in this Irish program, it is less money for more people chosen by lottery. The only editorial control is who is qualified to enter the lottery. It is also subsidizing the artist and not the art work, with artists working in cheap mediums receiving the same as artists dealing with high costs. So you are still going to need a grant or commission if you work in monumental bronze.

Re: Ireland rolls out basic income scheme for artists

#139

Post by deadbabe »

jamesbelchamber wrote: post #63

If they think this is good/important then fine but what they've created is a grant programme, not a UBI. Personally I would have thought this money would have been better spent getting people on the margins the stability to retrain into in-demand skilled careers (e.g. single, unskilled parents training as electricians or plumbers). That feels like it would be a more durable, multi-generational benefit. But again, thi…

It is not a grant. It is UBI. People who advocated for UBI always said they will spend time creating art, etc. if they didn’t have to work for income. So here it is, the dream come true.

Re: Ireland rolls out basic income scheme for artists

#140

Post by its_magic »

lcnPylGDnU4H9OF wrote: post #106
its_magic wrote: post #101

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's a "he", not a "they", FYI. In case you were considering actually addressing its thoughts, rather than attacking some ridiculous strawman.

Do you think I did not address your thoughts in my initial reply? Do you think you are addressing others' thoughts and not attacking ridiculous men made of straw? You do not seem to be making a good case for yourself.

"You're not making a very good case for yourself," says the armed robber.
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