Welsh musician launches petition calling for Basic Income for the Arts scheme

Stephen Price

A musician from Cardiff has launched a petition calling for the Welsh Government to implement a Basic Income for the Arts following the introduction of a similar scheme in Ireland.

Simon Lewis, who writes and records under the stage name of Corporate Christ, is a writer, musician and disability rights campaigner.

Seeing other musicians struggle with the weight of full time jobs, health issues, childcare and other commitments, he has watched many among his generation leave the arts simply because of the inability to juggle the intense focus needed to create with unforgiving work life balances.

Following the news that Ireland has made its basic income scheme for artists and creative workers permanent, he launched an online campaign to bring about a similar scheme for Wales-based creatives, that he says would “stem the flow of artists and musicians out of Wales and from one of its most important industries”.

His campaign has now led to the creation of a Senedd petition that he hopes might be the catalyst for change here in Wales.

The Irish scheme provides a guaranteed weekly income to help alleviate financial insecurity security, and aims to enable creatives to focus on their practice without suffering the constant pressure of unstable earnings.

Launched as a pilot in 2022, the programme offered around 2,000 artists €325 a week (roughly £283).

Early evaluations found it boosted not only their wellbeing but also their creative output, helping artists stay in their field rather than leaving due to financial strain.

A public consultation showed overwhelming support for making the scheme permanent, leading the Irish government to commit to enforcing it fully from 2026.

Leanne Wood reacted to the announcement on Facebook, writing: “Brilliant Ireland. The arts deserve public backing. Art helps society.”

In Wales and across the UK, however, artists have shared their ‘challenging’ experiences of securing short-term and project-based funding, making it difficult to plan for the future or focus fully on their work.

According to the Musicians’ Union Wales, funding cuts from arts councils have led to a reduction of around £3 million in annual funding, representing a 50% fall in the real terms value of public subsidy since 2025.

In the view of supporters, the Basic Income for the arts programme in Ireland represents a shift toward more sustained support for artists, which many hope will be emulated here in Wales.

“Not charity”

Simon’s petition states: “Ireland has launched a landmark Basic Income for the Arts pilot providing €325 per week to 2,000 artists and cultural workers. The scheme has reduced financial anxiety, increased creative productivity, and strengthened Ireland’s cultural economy.

“Wales can lead the UK by introducing a similar initiative.”

The petition urges the Welsh Government to:

• Commission a feasibility study to explore a Welsh version of Ireland’s programme.
• Design a 3-year pilot offering a regular basic income to at least 1,000 Welsh creatives.
• Fund and evaluate the pilot through Creative Wales, in collaboration with the Arts Council of Wales and the Welsh Government’s Basic Income Evaluation Team.

According to the petition: “This initiative would build upon Wales’s successful Basic Income Pilot for Care Leavers (2022–2024) and align with the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015, which commits the government to sustainable cultural and economic wellbeing.

“Supporting artists is not charity — it’s infrastructure.

“A secure creative class drives innovation, tourism, wellbeing, and national identity.”

Simon told Nation Cymru: “Ireland introduced a similar scheme as a trial and found that it generated more money in the local economy than it cost to implement it, and so they rolled out the scheme nationally.

“Artists are frequently held back by financial worries and disability benefit hurdles, a basic income scheme could see the arts flourish generating more wealth for the UK and freeing artists to do what they do best.

“Sometimes it’s hard to focus on artistic endeavours when you’re constantly worrying about benefits forms or getting gig economy work.

“A basic income that doesn’t depend on form filling and hoop jumping would allow me to focus on creativity instead.”

View and sign the Welsh Government petition calling for the introduction of ‘a Basic Income for the Arts scheme in Wales, modelled on Ireland’s successful initiative’ here.

Hear more from Corporate Christ here.