Ireland made its basic income program for artists permanent after a successful three-year pilot, establishing a distinctive government-funded income support scheme with no strings attached. The program reduced anxiety and depression among participating artists while increasing productivity, and 97% of surveyed respondents (17,000 people) supported making it permanent. This matters because most countries still lack direct income support for creative workers, making Ireland's model a potentially influential test case for whether guaranteed income can sustain cultural sectors while improving artist wellbeing. The linked research from RGMII is the primary evidence source, though broader peer-reviewed evaluation details and cost-per-artist figures aren't included here.