Arts Work Conditions & Perspectives

Arts Work Conditions & Perspectives
Statistical Release as part of "A Portrait of the Arts Sector”
Doire Ó Cuinn, Nadia Feldkircher

Basic Income for the Arts Research Team
December 2023
This paper has been prepared by IGEES staff in

the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts,
Gaeltacht, Sports and Media. The views presented
in this paper do not represent the official views of
the Department or Minister of Tourism, Culture,
Arts, Gaeltacht, Sports and Media.
1
Table of Contents
Table of Contents .................................................................................................................... 2
1. Introduction ................................................................................................................. 4
1.1 Background......................................................................................................................... 4
1.2 Key Findings........................................................................................................................ 6
2. Arts Work Prevalence ....................................................................................................... 7
2.1 Overall arts work prevalence ............................................................................................. 7
3. Paid arts work prevalence ................................................................................................ 8
3.1 Overall paid arts work prevalence ..................................................................................... 8
3.2 Paid arts work prevalence by age .................................................................................... 10
3.3 Paid arts work prevalence by art form ............................................................................. 11
4. Self-employment and work as an employee in the arts.................................................... 12
4.1 Overview of self-employment and work as an employee rates ...................................... 12
4.2 Self-employment and work as an employee by gender .................................................. 13
4.3 Self-employment and work as an employee by age ........................................................ 14
4.4 Self-employment and work as an employee by primary art form ................................... 15
5. Unpaid work in the arts sector ........................................................................................ 17
5.1 Overview of unpaid work in the arts sector ..................................................................... 17
5.2 Unpaid work in the arts by gender................................................................................... 18
5.3 Unpaid work by age.......................................................................................................... 19
5.4 Unpaid work in the arts sector by art form...................................................................... 20
5.5 Years spent working in the arts for those engaged in unpaid work ................................ 21
6. Barriers to arts work....................................................................................................... 22
6.1 Ability to sustain oneself through arts work alone .......................................................... 22
6.2 Inability to work as an artist or creative arts worker ....................................................... 25
6.3 Inability to work in other sectors ..................................................................................... 26
6.4 Reasons for inability to work............................................................................................ 27
7. Work outside the arts sector .......................................................................................... 28
7.1 Share of respondents working for pay exclusively in the arts ......................................... 28
7.2 Respondents working for pay exclusively in the arts by age ........................................... 29
7.3 Respondents working exclusively in the arts by art form ................................................ 31
2
7.4 Prevalence of work in sectors other than the arts ........................................................... 32
7.5 Work in sectors other than the arts by age ..................................................................... 33
7.6 Work in sectors other than the arts by art form .............................................................. 34
7.7 Most common non-arts sectors of employment ............................................................. 35
8. Satisfaction with working conditions .............................................................................. 36
8.1 Satisfaction with working conditions in the arts .............................................................. 36
8.2 Satisfaction with working conditions in the arts by gender ............................................. 38
8.3 Satisfaction with working conditions in the arts by age .................................................. 39
8.4 Satisfaction with working conditions in the arts by primary art form ............................. 40
8.5 Satisfaction gap between working conditions in the arts sector and working conditions
in other sectors ............................................................................................................................ 41
9. Arts work perceptions .................................................................................................... 42
9.1 Pressure to seek employment outside the sector ........................................................... 42
9.2 I believe that I will always be engaged in artistic or creative work ................................. 45
9.3 I feel that I have to take on any work that is offered to me in my career as an artist or
creative arts worker ..................................................................................................................... 47
9.4 I feel that I am able to negotiate a good price for my work, contracts and commissions
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….50
9.5 I have a strong network of fellow artists/creative arts workers to rely on professionally,
collaborate with or learn from. .................................................................................................... 53
9.6 I can sustain my arts career in Ireland ............................................................................. 57
Annex I – Notes on Sample Selection and Data Collection ....................................................... 61
Sample Selection .......................................................................................................................... 61
Data Collection ............................................................................................................................. 62
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1. Introduction
1.1 Background
This statistical release “Arts Work Conditions and Perspectives”, presented by the Basic Income for
the Arts Research Team aims to provide new and comprehensive insights into the work of those
who make up the arts sector. This release explores topics such as the prevalence of paid work and
unpaid work in the sector, the prevalence of working in sectors outside of the arts for artists and
creative arts workers, satisfaction with working conditions, perceptions in relation to working in
the arts sector, and the barriers to arts work.
This release is one of a series called “A Portrait of the Arts Sector”, a set of statistical reports
intended to inform policy making and research in the arts sector about the experiences of those
working in the sector. The data provides insights into the sector that are unprecedented, given the
scale of the research both in terms of the number of participants, as well as the richness and variety
of data collected. This series of releases leverages the data collected as part of the initial pre-
intervention1 survey of participants in the Basic Income for the Arts pilot, therefore this data
provides a picture of the participants prior to receiving the Basic Income for the Arts and does not
capture the impact of the basic income payment. Please see the Annex for additional information
on definitions, data collection and sample selection.
Other papers in this series examine the following topics: arts work conditions and perspectives,
earnings and spending, well-being, artistic practices, and equality and inclusion.
The Basic Income for the Arts pilot that was developed on foot of a recommendation from the Arts
and Culture Recovery Taskforce and is a research programme which is examining, over a three-year
period, the impact of a basic income-style payment for artists and creative arts workers. The
scheme recognises that there is a vast body of often unpaid or underpaid work that goes into the
making of the creative work that we as a society enjoy.
To be considered eligible for the Basic Income for the Arts pilot scheme applicants had to
demonstrate that their creative practice met the definition of art in the Arts Act (2003) which is:
‘any creative or interpretive expression (whether traditional or contemporary), in whatever

form, and includes, in particular, visual arts, theatre, literature, music, dance, opera, film,
circus, and architecture, and includes any medium when used for these purposes.’
1
The pre-intervention survey was completed by participants of the Basic Income for the Arts Pilot Scheme
(BIA) prior to the first payment being made and tracks activity in the six months prior to receiving the first
BIA payment.
4
The guidelines also provided for applications from those who considered that they were “Creative
Arts Workers”, which was defined as
‘…someone who has a creative practice and whose creative work makes a key contribution
to the production, interpretation or exhibition of the arts.”
The guidelines also provided for applications from people who recently trained in the arts (training
course, graduate degree or an arts related apprenticeship), and
‘…who have completed their training in the last 5 years or who will complete their training
by October 2022.”
Applicants could demonstrate that they met either of these definitions by providing evidence of
either proof of any income from work as an artists, proof of active engagement within their art
form, or evidence of membership of a relevant representative body.
The ambition of the pilot is that by addressing the issue of low pay and income instability in the
sector, arts workers can focus on artistic and creative work and be in a position to increase their
earnings from their creative practice. This scheme aims to address the identified objectives of
ensuring that self-employment for artists and creative arts workers is a viable career path in the
sector, and that the highly-educated cohort that comprises the sector can be retained in the arts
rather than choosing to work in other sectors for reasons of economic or financial pressure, thereby
ensuring that knowledge and experience is retained in the sector.
5
1.2 Key Findings
 More than 95% of respondents had worked in the arts sector in the previous 6
months; however 82% had paid work in the sector during this time.
 Despite 96% of respondents indicating that ideally they would like to only work in
the arts, 37.41% of respondents had worked exclusively in the arts.
 Self-employment is the predominant type of employment in the sector, given

76.19% of respondents had worked in a self-employed capacity in the arts sector
in the previous six months. 14.83% of respondents had worked as an employee in
the sector during the same period.
 Unpaid work is prevalent across the sector at all age groups and career stages,
with almost a third of respondents having engaged in some degree of unpaid
work in the sector over the previous six months.
 Education was the most common sector of work among those who worked in
sectors other than the arts, with 29.14% of respondents who worked in another
sector having worked in education in the previous six months.
 More than one in six artists and creative arts workers had also worked in the arts
sector in a capacity other than as part of their artistic or creative work.
 Almost 60% of respondents were satisfied with their working conditions in the
arts sector, and overall respondents were generally more satisfied with their
working conditions in the arts sector than in other sectors. However, significant
gender disparities emerge in relation to the working condition satisfaction among
those who reported their gender as female, or as a gender other than male or
female.
 Almost three quarters of respondents agreed that they feel pressure to seek
employment outside of the artistic or creative sectors.
 Just over one third of respondents agreed that they feel they are able to negotiate
a good price for their work, contracts and commissions, with those reporting a
male gender most confident in their ability to negotiate a good price.
 Fewer than half of respondents agreed that they believed that they could sustain
their career as an artist or creative arts worker here in Ireland, although this
increases with age.
6
2. Arts Work Prevalence
2.1 Overall arts work prevalence
Over 95% of respondents indicated that they worked in the arts in the previous six months, in any
capacity, including self-employed work, work as an employee and unpaid work. Throughout this
report, arts work had a broad definition and refers to any work done by respondents in the arts
sector, whether as part of their practice or not.
There was no significant difference in this figure when looked at across gender, age, or art form
with all groups responding with a figure in excess of 90%; however it is interesting to note that the
figure for those who are recently trained was lower, at 81.94%.
Table 2.1 Worked in the arts in the previous six months
Any Yes * No
All Streams 95.09% 4.91%
Artists 96.14% 3.86%
Creative Arts Workers 95.83% 4.17%
Recently Trained 81.94% 18.06%
*Includes work in a self-employed capacity, as an employee, and unpaid work.
7
Figure 2.1 Comparison of arts work prevalence for all respondents and recently trained
respondents
Comparison of arts work prevalence for all respondents and recently trained respondents
All respondents
4.91%
18.06% Recently trained
81.94%
95.09%
Yes No
Includes work in a self-employed capacity, as an employee, and unpaid work.
3. Paid arts work prevalence
3.1 Overall paid arts work prevalence
Table 3.1 Paid Arts Work by Stream
Yes* No
All Streams 81.96% 18.04%
Artists 83.68% 16.32%
*Includes work in a self-employed capacity or as an employee, but not including unpaid work.
8
Figure 3.1 Comparison of paid arts work prevalence for all respondents and recently trained
respondents
Comparison of paid arts work prevalence for all respondents and recently trained
respondents
All respondents
18.04% Recently trained

40.74%
59.26%
81.96%
Yes No
Includes work in a self-employed capacity or as an employee, but not including unpaid work.
When we look instead only at those who said they had paid work in the arts in the previous six
months, either in a self-employed capacity or as an employee, we find that the rate is somewhat
lower, indicating that there is a significant cohort of people in the arts who only had unpaid work
during the previous six months.
The overall rate for those who had paid work in the arts was 81.96%, which is 86.19% of those
outlined in Section 3.1 who had worked in any capacity. However, for respondents who were
recently trained, the rate for those who had paid work in the arts was 59.26%, which is 72.32% of
those recently trained respondents who had worked in any capacity including unpaid. This is an
indication of that there is a higher prevalence of having only worked in an unpaid capacity among
those who are recently trained.
9
3.2 Paid arts work prevalence by age
Figure 3.2 Prevalence of paid work in the arts by age cohort

90.00%
80.00%
70.00%
60.00%
50.00%
84.70% 84.88%
40.00% 80.24% 80.37%
72.20% 75%
30.00%
20.00%
10.00%
0.00%
18-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65+
Had paid work in the arts
The chart above provides an insight into the prevalence of paid work in the arts for respondents
across the indicated age brackets. The prevalence of paid arts work is lowest for those who are
aged between 18 and 24, standing at 72.2% for this group. The prevalence of paid arts work peaks
at 84.88% for those aged between 35 and 44 before declining as age increases, with prevalence of
paid work for those ages 65+ standing at 75%.
10
3.3 Paid arts work prevalence by art form
Figure 3.3 Prevalence of paid work in the arts by art form
Dance 97.92%
Circus, Spectacle & Street Arts 97.06%
Theatre 88.79%
Traditional Arts 83.78%
Music 83%
Multidisciplinary 81.90%
Visual Arts 81.68%
Film 81.49%
Other 79.03%
Literature 68.99%
0.00% 20.00% 40.00% 60.00% 80.00% 100.00% 120.00%
Had paid work in the arts
A divergence appears across art forms in relation to paid arts work. Respondents whose primary
art forms were Dance and Circus, Spectacle & Streets Arts had very high prevalence of paid arts
work, with more than 97% of respondents in these categories having had paid work in the arts
during the last six months.
Literature is the art form which had the lowest prevalence of paid arts work, with 68.99% of
respondents indicating that they had paid work in the arts during the last six months.
11
4. Self-employment and work as an employee in the arts
4.1 Overview of self-employment and work as an employee rates
This analysis shows that self-employment is the predominant type of employment in the sector,
with 76.19% of respondents having worked in a self-employed capacity in the arts within the
previous six months. Self-employment was lower among creative arts workers (72.57%) than it was
among artists (79.1%).
Figure 4.1 Self-employment and work as an employee by stream

0.00% 10.00% 20.00% 30.00% 40.00% 50.00% 60.00% 70.00% 80.00% 90.00%
76.19%
All Respondents
14.83%
79.10%
Artists
13.26%
72.57%
Creative Arts Workers
23.96%
47.22%
Recently Trained
20.83%
Self-Employed Employee
Multiple answers possible.
Self-employment was much lower for those who were recently trained, with 47.22% of those who
had recently trained reporting that they worked in a self-employed capacity in the previous six
months. The median number of years spent working in the arts was 5 for recently trained
respondents and 15 for artists and creative arts workers.
With regard to work as an employee, 13.26% of artists indicated that they had worked as an
employee in the arts within the previous six months, representing more than 1 in 8 artists. For
creative arts workers this was higher, at 23.96% or almost 1 in 4 creative arts workers. This may
be reflective of the types of jobs that respondents who fall within these categories hold, as well as
the typical employment structures within those jobs.
For respondents who were recently trained, just over 1 in 5, or 20.83% had worked as an employee
in the arts in the past 6 months.
12
4.2 Self-employment and work as an employee by gender
Figure 4.2 Self-employment and work as an employee by gender

0.00% 10.00% 20.00% 30.00% 40.00% 50.00% 60.00% 70.00% 80.00% 90.00% 100.00%
75.18%
Female
15.96%
77.17%
Male
13.74%
86.36%
Other
15.91%
65.12%
Prefer not to Say
13.95%
Analysis of self-employment and work as an employee by reported gender indicated that there was
a slightly higher prevalence of self-employment among respondents who identified themselves as
male (77.17%) compared to those who identified themselves as female (75.18%).
Conversely, there was a slightly higher prevalence of having worked as an employee among
respondents who identified themselves as female (15.96%) compared to those who identified
themselves as male (13.74%).
The proportions of those who reported a gender other than male or female that had worked in a
self-employed capacity in the previous six months was significantly higher than for those who
identified themselves as male or female, at 86.36%. The rate of having worked as an employee for
this group was similar to what was reported by those who identified themselves as female, at
15.91%.
13
4.3 Self-employment and work as an employee by age
Figure 4.3 Self-employment and work as an employee by age
0.00% 10.00% 20.00% 30.00% 40.00% 50.00% 60.00% 70.00% 80.00% 90.00%
61.46%
18-24
22.93%
76.99%
25-34
20.10%
79.89%
35-44
13.18%
76.66%
45-54
9.54%
75.00%
55-64
12.85%
75.00%
65+
5.26%
This chart indicates that self-employment is the predominant employment type for the sector in all
age groups, peaking at 79.89% for those aged between 35 and 44 years old, before slightly tapering
off to 75% in the 55-64 and 65+ age groups.
Self-employment is lowest in the group of respondents who were aged between 18 and 24 years,
with 61.46% of respondents in this group indicating that they had worked in a self-employed
capacity in the arts in the previous six months. It is possible that this may be related to the high
number of people in this age group that are likely to have been in full-time education at the time.
Work as an employee is highest among this youngest cohort, with 22.93% of respondents aged
between 18 and 24 indicating that they had worked as an employee in the arts within the previous
six months. The prevalence of work as an employee appears to taper off as age increases, dropping
to 5.26% for those aged 65 and over. There is a slight spike in the 55 to 64 year old age group.
14
4.4 Self-employment and work as an employee by primary art form
Figure 4.4 Self-employment and work as an employee by primary art form

0.00% 10.00% 20.00% 30.00% 40.00% 50.00% 60.00% 70.00% 80.00% 90.00%100.00%
87.50%
Dance
37.50%
77.59%
Theatre
31.47%
65.48%
Film
28.83%
72.85%
Multidisciplinary
22.62%
66.13%
Other
20.97%
91.18%
Circus, Spectacle & Street Arts
11.76%
80.15%
Music
11.59%
78.42%
Visual Arts
9.11%
78.38%
Traditional Arts
8.11%
66.28%
Literature
6.20%
Across the primary art forms reported by respondents, there is significant divergence in the
prevalence of work as an employee. Dance had the highest proportion of respondents who
indicated that they had worked as an employee in the arts in the past six months at 37.5% followed
by Theatre, Film, Multidisciplinary and Other as the art forms, which had a proportion of
15
respondents who worked as an employee that was higher than the average for the sector (14.83%).
Literature has the lowest proportion of respondents who had worked as an employee, at 6.2%.
In relation to self-employment Circus, Spectacle & Street Arts had the highest proportion of
respondents who indicated that they had worked in a self-employed capacity in the arts in the past
six months, at 91.18%, followed closely by Dance (87.5%) and then Music (80.15%).
The lowest prevalence of self-employed work was seen among those working in Film (65.48%), and
Other art forms (66.13%).
16
5. Unpaid work in the arts sector
5.1 Overview of unpaid work in the arts sector
Figure 5.1 Unpaid work by stream

50.00%
45.00%
40.00%
35.00%
30.00%
25.00%
43.98%
20.00%
32.40% 31.71%
15.00% 29.51%
10.00%
5.00%
0.00%
All Respondents Artists Creative Arts Workers Recently Trained
Almost a third of all respondents engaged in unpaid work in the arts during the previous six months.
This includes many respondents who also worked for pay, indicating that many in the sector
undertake unpaid work despite also having some paid work in the sector. There may be a number
of factors at play in relation to the high prevalence of unpaid work, which could include an under-
provision of paid work, a desire or pressure to undertake unpaid work to increase exposure, or
volunteer work on the part of the respondent.
Applicants who were recently trained had a higher prevalence of having undertaken unpaid work,
at 43.98%. This is 35.74% higher than the average for all respondents.
17
5.2 Unpaid work in the arts by gender
Figure 5.2 Unpaid work by gender

45.00%
40.00%
35.00%
30.00%
25.00%
20.00% 40.91% 41.86%
31.36% 32.86%
15.00%
10.00%
5.00%
0.00%
Female Male Other Prefer not to say
The proportion of respondents who identified themselves as male who undertook paid work in the
arts in the previous six months was slightly higher, at 32.86%, than the of respondents who
identified themselves as female, for whom the rate was 31.36%.
Those who reported a gender other than male or female had a significantly higher rate of having
undertaken unpaid work in the arts, at 40.91%, with a higher figure again for those who preferred
not to state a gender, at 41.86%.
18
5.3 Unpaid work by age
Figure 5.3 Unpaid work by age

50.00%
45.00%
40.00%
35.00%
30.00%
25.00%
44.88%
20.00%
35.27% 34.21%
32.37%
15.00% 30.14%
26.91%
10.00%
5.00%
0.00%
18-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65+
In relation to age, the highest prevalence of unpaid work is seen among the youngest cohort, with
44.88% of those aged between 18 and 24 having undertaken unpaid work in the arts in past six
months.
In all age brackets excluding 35-44, more than one third of respondents had undertaken unpaid
work in the arts sector in the previous six months.
For the 35-44 age group, which had the lowest prevalence of unpaid work, still 26.91%, or more
than a quarter of people in this group, had undertaken unpaid work in the arts in the previous six
months.
19
5.4 Unpaid work in the arts sector by art form
Figure 5.4 Unpaid work in the arts sector by art form
45.00%
39.83%
40.00% 37.60% 37.56%
35.00% 30.96%
30.00% 27.43% 27.16%
24.32% 22.92%
25.00% 20.97% 20.59%
20.00%
15.00%
10.00%
5.00%
0.00%
Looking across the sector, the prevalence of unpaid work was high in all art forms. At least 20% of
people across all art forms had undertaken unpaid work in the arts in the previous six months.
There is some disparity, with Music having the highest prevalence of unpaid work at 39.83%,
followed closely by Literature and Multidisciplinary (37.56%)
20
5.5 Years spent working in the arts for those engaged in unpaid work
Figure 5.5 Years spent working in the arts for those engaged in unpaid work
11.96%
20%
0-5 Years
15.88% 6-10 Years
11-20 Years
21-30 Years
24.43%
More than 30 Years
27.73%
This chart provides further detail on the group of respondents who had undertaken unpaid work in
the arts in the previous six months, with regard to how long they have been working in the sector.
This break-down shows that the group undertaking unpaid work comprises artists and creative arts
workers at all career stages.
21
6. Barriers to arts work
6.1 Ability to sustain oneself through arts work alone
Figure 6.1.1 Ability to sustain oneself through arts work
Ideally, would you like to only work in the arts?
4%
No
Yes
96%
Almost 96% of respondents to the survey indicated that they would ideally like to only work in the
arts sector. However, just 22.5% of respondents indicated that they are able to sustain themselves
through arts work alone. This drops to just 7.87% of those who are recently trained, which may
indicate that it is far more difficult to sustain an arts career when recently trained.
Figure 6.1.2 Ability to sustain oneself through arts work
Are you able to sustain yourself through arts work alone?
23%
No
Yes
77%
22
Figure 6.1.3 Ability to sustain oneself through arts work alone by stream
Are you able to sustain yourself through arts work alone?
All Respondents 22.50% 77.50%
Artists 22.94% 77.06%
Creative Arts
29.76% 70.24%
Workers
Yes No
Figure 6.1.4 Ability to sustain oneself through arts work alone by gender
Female 20.01% 79.99%
Male 25.25% 74.75%
Other Gender 18.18% 81.82%
Yes No
Looking at this question further, the proportion of those who indicated that they could sustain
themselves through arts work alone was higher among those who reported their gender as male,
at 25.25%, compared to 20.01% for those who reported their gender as female and 18.18% for
those who reported a gender other than male or female. In all cases this is a very low figure.
23
Figure 6.1.5 Ability to sustain oneself through arts work alone by art form
Circus, Spectacle
41.18% 58.82%
& Street Arts
Traditional Arts 35.14% 64.86%
Theatre 33.62% 66.38%
Other 33.33% 66.67%
Dance 31.25% 68.75%
Music 27.62% 72.38%
Film 19.57% 80.43%
Multidisciplinary 18.10% 81.90%
Visual Arts 18.00% 82.00%
Literature 12.02% 87.98%
Yes No
Examining the same question in relation to primary art form of the respondent, we see that a
significant disparity arises among the art forms. While there is no art form where a majority of
respondents indicated that they can sustain themselves through arts work alone, Circus, Street Arts
& Spectacle had the highest proportion of respondents who indicated that they could, at 41.18%.
At the other end of the spectrum, 12% of respondents from Literature indicated they could sustain
themselves through arts work alone.
24
6.2 Inability to work as an artist or creative arts worker
Figure 6.2 Inability to find work in the arts
90.00%
81.94%
80.00% 75.00% 76.92%
70.45% 73.31% 70.25%
65.05% 67.35% 67.67%
70.00% 65.57% 66.00% 62.90%
60.85% 58.06%
60.00% 54.05%
50.00%
50.00%
40.00%
30.00%
20.00%
10.00%
0.00%
No. of those who wanted to work but couldn't All Respondents
Respondents were asked to indicate whether, in the previous six months, they had wanted to work
as an artist or creative arts worker but been unable to. The research found that 66.72% of
respondents said that they had wanted to work as an artist at least once during this period and had
been unable to.
The above chart shows that for respondents who were recently trained, almost 82% had
experienced a desire to work but had been unable to in the previous six months. Among art forms,
this was seen the most often for multidisciplinary artists, and those who reported their primary art
form as Dance, Film or Music.
25
6.3 Inability to work in other sectors
Figure 6.3 Inability to find work in other sectors
40.00%
34.09%
35.00%
30.09% 30.77%
30.00%
25.59%
23.32% 22.92% 22.45%
25.00% 22.46%
22.10% 21.14% 21.58% 21.63%
19.37% 20.29% 19.40%
20.00% 17.74%
14.70%
15.00%
10.00%
5.00%
0.00%
No. of those who wanted to work but couldn't All Respondents
Respondents who worked in sectors other than the arts over the previous six months were also
asked to indicate if they had wanted to work in another sector but been unable to. The research
found that 22.46% of respondents said that they had wanted to work in another sector at least
once during this period and had been unable to, a much lower figure than was seen in respect of
the arts.
26
6.4 Reasons for inability to work
Table 6.4 Inability to find work - reasons
% who said this was a reason in the Arts % who said this was a reason in other sectors
Reasons
Sector
Lack of suitable jobs
or clients
52.82% 45.81%
Low pay 41.36% 26.58%
Sickness, illness or
accident
17.13% 14.70%
Pandemic restrictions 30.67% 15.36%
Care responsibilities 17.27% 15.46%
Other 27.40% 36.76%
Multiple responses possible.
Respondents who indicated that they had wanted to work in either the arts or another sector but
who had been unable to were asked to provide reasons as to why this has occurred.
For both the arts and other sectors, a lack of suitable jobs or clients was the most often cited reason
for inability to work, although the proportion of respondents who gave this reason was 15.3%
higher for the arts than for other sectors.
Low pay was also a significant issue in the arts and other sectors at 41.36% and 26.58% respectively,
which shows that low pay was cited as a reason 55.61% more often in relation to work in the arts
sector than for work by artists and creative arts workers in other sectors.
Pandemic restrictions were a significant reason contributing more to the inability to work for those
seeking to work in the arts sector than for those seeking to work in other sectors. The proportion
of people who experienced this as a reason for inability to work in the arts sector was almost
double than for artists and creative arts workers who sought to work in other sectors.
27
7. Work outside the arts sector
7.1 Share of respondents working for pay exclusively in the arts
This section examines the numbers of artists and creative arts workers who also work in other
sectors, firstly by looking at the proportion of respondents who in the previous six months had
worked for pay without having worked in a sector outside of the arts.
Table 7.1 Paid work in the arts only by stream
Paid work in the arts only

All Streams 37.41%
Artists 38.50%
Creative Arts Workers 43.40%
Recently Trained 17.13%
Includes self-employed in the arts and/or employed in the arts. Excludes those who did not work in the arts, worked in
the arts for no pay, and worked in a different sector.
Figure 7.1 Paid work in the arts only by stream
Recently Trained:
17.13%
Total; 37.41%
Artists: 38.50%
Creative Arts Workers:
43.40%
28
The proportions in the chart above provide an overview of the number of respondents who said
they worked for pay as an employee or in a self-employed capacity in the arts in the previous six
months, and who also in that time did not work in any other sector.
In Section 3.1 we saw that 81.96% of respondents had undertaken some amount of paid work in
the arts in the previous six months. However, we see that the proportion of respondents who didn’t
also work in other sectors is far lower at 37.41% of all respondents. The proportion is even lower
for those who were recently trained, at 17.13%.
7.2 Respondents working for pay exclusively in the arts by age
Figure 7.2 Paid work in the arts by age

50.00%
45.00%
40.00%
35.00%
30.00%
25.00%
47.37%
20.00% 41.47%
37.67% 37.48% 38.08%
15.00%
10.00% 18.05%
5.00%
0.00%
18-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65+
Worked for pay in the arts sector only
Includes self-employed in the arts and/or employed in the arts. Excludes those who did not work in the arts, worked in
We see here that the prevalence of working for pay exclusively in the arts grows significantly from
18.05% in the youngest age band of 18-24, rising to 41.47% in the 35-44 age band, before dropping
off slightly in the next two age bands. The highest proportion is in the 65+ age band.
This age profile is somewhat different from the one seen in Section 3.2, which detailed the age
profile of all those who worked for pay in the arts in the previous six months. In that chart, we saw
that the peak happened earlier, in the 25-34 age group before tapering off in a consistent fashion
29
over the age groups. This indicates that while there are higher proportions of artists and creative
arts workers undertaking paid work in the arts in younger age brackets, it appears that more of
those groups are also working in other sectors, while it is those who are aged 65+ who are most
likely to be only working in the arts.
30
7.3 Respondents working exclusively in the arts by art form
Figure 7.3 Paid work in the arts by art form
Other 48.39%
Theatre 43.53%
Film 42.70%
Dance 41.67%
Visual Arts 40.50%
Music 32.06%
Literature 30.62%
0.00% 10.00% 20.00% 30.00% 40.00% 50.00% 60.00%
Worked for pay in the arts exclusively
*Includes self-employed in the arts and/or employed in the arts. Excludes those who did not work in the arts, worked in
The above chart indicates a disparity in the proportion of respondents within each art form who
are working exclusively in the arts, with a majority of respondents in Circus, Spectacle and Street
Arts and art forms that fall within the Other category indicating that they worked exclusively in the
arts.
At the other end of the scale, less than one third of respondents with a Multidisciplinary practice,
in Literature, or in Music were working exclusively in the arts.
31
7.4 Prevalence of work in sectors other than the arts
Table 7.4 Prevalence of work in other sectors by stream
All Streams 45.19%

Artists 44.99% of all artists
Creative Arts Workers 36.33% of all creative arts workers
Recently Trained 58.79% of all recently trained
Over 45% of respondents have worked in a sector other than the arts in the past six months, rising
to 58.79% of those who were recently trained. Creative Arts Workers had a lower, but still
significant proportion of people who indicated that they worked in another sector in the previous
six months, at 36.33%.
This indicates that significant proportions of those working in the arts are also working in other
sectors, which may have an impact on the scale of the arts sector and the availability of skilled
workers if people are working in another sector. This may also indicate an increased risk of loss of
skill and experience from the arts sector on a permanent or transient basis if those workers
transition out of the arts sector.
There are likely to be many reasons for the prevalence of artists and creative arts workers working
in other sectors, and some of those reasons are explored further later in this release.
Figure 7.4 Time worked in non-art sectors
10.49% 29.79% 59.72%
Too little time The right amount of time Too much time
In another section of the survey, respondents were asked to indicate their satisfaction with the
hours they typically spent working for pay in any sector other than the arts. 59.72% of those to
whom this was applicable indicated that they felt they spent too much time working for pay in any
sector other than the arts. 10.49% felt they spent too little time on this activity, while 29.79% felt
they spent about the right amount of time. This may indicate that those working outside the sector
may be doing so due to economic necessity.
32
7.5 Work in sectors other than the arts by age
Figure 7.5 Work in other sectors by age (%)
70 66.34
60
50 47.53
42.57 44.38
41.72
40
30
23.68
20
10
0
18-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65+
Worked in other sectors
When the prevalence of having worked in sectors other than the arts in the previous six months is
analysed by age group, it is evident that the proportion of artists and creative arts workers who
have worked in other sectors is significant in all age groups.
It is high among 18 to 24 year olds, where 66.34% of respondents had worked in a sector other
than the arts in the past six months. For the age groups that cover respondents aged between 25
and 64, this rate was between 41.72% and 47.53%.
In the age group 65+ the rate was at its lowest, at 23.68%. This is still quite a high proportion, given
that most people in this age group are of an age where they are likely to be in receipt of a pension.
33
7.6 Work in sectors other than the arts by art form
Figure 7.6 Work in other sectors by art form

0.00% 10.00% 20.00% 30.00% 40.00% 50.00% 60.00%
Music 49.81%
Literature 48.44%
Dance 45.83%
Theatre 45.25%
Visual Arts 43.71%
Film 33.80%
Other 38.70%
Worked in other sectors
This chart provides an overview of the prevalence of having worked in a sector other than the arts
in the previous six months, broken down by the primary art form of the respondent.
From this, we can see that more than half of artists and creative arts workers who reported their
primary art form as Multidisciplinary indicated that they had worked in sectors other than the arts
in the previous six months. For almost all other art forms, the numbers were not far behind, with
most other art forms having a rate between 43% and 50%.
The art forms with the lowest rate of respondents who worked in another sector were Film (33.8%),
Circus, Spectacle and Street Arts (35.29%) and Traditional Arts (37.83%).
34
7.7 Most common non-arts sectors of employment
Table 7.7.1 Common non-arts sectors of employment
Sector Rate
Education 29.14% of those who worked in a sector other than arts

Other Service Activities 18.81% of those who worked in a sector other than arts
Accommodation and Food Service Activities 9.61% of those who worked in a sector other than arts
Administrative and Support Service Activities 6.61% of those who worked in a sector other than arts
Health and Social Work Activities 4.92% of those who worked in a sector other than arts
Wholesale and Retail Trade2 4.68% of those who worked in a sector other than arts
For respondents who worked in a sector other than the arts, the most common sector was
Education, at 29.14%.
CSO data on average earnings for these sectors3 indicates that Education has the highest mean
earnings of these sectors, 1.9 times the mean earnings for the Arts, Entertainment and Recreation
sector, within which most arts and creative work falls. However, the next two highest categories,
Other Service Activities and Accommodation and Food Service Activities, have average earnings
that are equal to and lower than those found in Arts, Entertainment and Recreation respectively.
This figures indicate that Education work is regularly pursued by those working in the arts, and can
provide an avenue for increased earnings, but that there is a significant cohort of artists and
creative arts workers who are working in sectors other than the arts that are also typically low-
paid.
Table 7.7.2 Work in the arts sector in a different capacity
Sector Rate
Arts sector, in a different capacity 17.03%
2
Includes Repair of Motor Vehicles and Motorcycles
3
Earnings Analysis using Administrative Data Sources 2020, CSO, Table 8.1
https://www.cso.ie/en/releasesandpublications/ep/peaads/earningsanalysisusingadministrativedatasource
s2020/annualearnings/
35
Data was also collected in relation to the number of respondents who, aside from their artistic or
creative work, worked within the arts sector in a different capacity, for example as an
administrator.
This rate was found to be 17.03%, or more than 1 in every 6 artists and creative arts workers.
8. Satisfaction with working conditions

8.1 Satisfaction with working conditions in the arts
Figure 8.1.1 Satisfaction with working conditions in the arts
4.88% 16.29% 18.71% 41.61% 18.50%
Very Dissatisfied Somewhat Dissatisfied

Neither Satisfied nor Dissatisfied Somewhat Satisfied
Very Satisfied
36
When those who worked in the arts sector in the previous six months were asked how satisfied
they were they with their working conditions, almost 60% indicated that they were either
somewhat satisfied or very satisfied. The proportion that was somewhat dissatisfied or very
dissatisfied was 21.17%.
Artists had the highest proportion of respondents that were very dissatisfied with their working
conditions, at 5.18%.
Creative arts workers were most likely to indicate that they were either somewhat satisfied or very
satisfied compared to other groups, with almost 65% of people indicating so.
Recently trained respondents had the highest proportion of respondents that were at least
somewhat dissatisfied with their working conditions, with the combined total of somewhat
dissatisfied and very dissatisfied sitting at 22.95%. This group also had the lowest proportion of
people who were either somewhat satisfied or very satisfied, at 57.06%.
Figure 8.1.2 Satisfaction with working conditions in the arts by stream
Artists 5.18% 16.01% 19.02% 41.22% 18.56%
Creative
Arts 2.89% 16.97% 15.16% 46.57% 18.41%
Workers
Recently
3.95% 18.64% 20.34% 38.98% 18.08%
Trained
37
8.2 Satisfaction with working conditions in the arts by gender
Figure 8.2 Satisfaction with working conditions in the arts by gender
Female 5.51% 18.75% 16.89% 41.89% 16.96%
Male 4.01% 13.23% 20.41% 41.87% 20.48%
Other 11.63% 32.56% 11.63% 37.21% 6.98%
Prefer not to
7.50% 25.00% 27.50% 27.50% 12.50%
say
Very Dissatisfied Somewhat Dissatisfied Neither Satisfied nor Dissatisfied

Somewhat Satisfied Very Satisfied
Examining this topic from a gender perspective, the rate of respondents who reported being
female and said they were either somewhat dissatisfied or very dissatisfied with their working
conditions was 40% higher than the number of respondents who reported being male, as 24.26%
of females and 17.24% of males reported dissatisfaction with working conditions. Respondents
who reported being male were also more likely to report being satisfied with their working
conditions.
Those who reported a gender other than male or female had an even higher rate of dissatisfaction
with their working conditions, with a rate of 44.19%.
38
8.3 Satisfaction with working conditions in the arts by age
Figure 8.3 Satisfaction with working conditions in the arts by age
18-24 2.72% 15.76% 16.85% 45.65% 19.02%
25-34 4.43% 18.90% 19.69% 41.72% 15.25%
35-44 6.08% 16.50% 16.93% 43.99% 16.50%
45-54 4.83% 14.85% 18.43% 42.04% 19.86%
55-64 4.52% 14.57% 21.61% 36.68% 22.61%
65+ 9.86% 9.86% 11.27% 42.25% 26.76%

Examining this topic by age, we see that the number of people who were very satisfied with their
working conditions was lowest among the 25-34 group, with 15.25% of respondents in this age
group indicating so. This number increases in tandem with the age of respondents up to a high of
26.76% for those aged 65+, however the trend only exists for those who indicated that they are
very satisfied.
The trend does not appear to exist in relation to those who are somewhat satisfied. When
somewhat satisfied and very satisfied are taken as a group, the highest proportions are found in
the oldest and in the youngest age cohorts.
39
8.4 Satisfaction with working conditions in the arts by primary art form
Figure 8.4 Satisfaction with working conditions in the arts by art form
Circus, Spectacle and

5.88% 5.88% 23.53% 55.88% 8.82%
Street Arts
Dance 2.08% 20.83% 18.75% 43.75% 14.58%
Film 4.96% 12.21% 19.08% 39.31% 24.43%
Literature 6.44% 17.60% 16.74% 39.48% 19.74%
Music 2.83%14.52% 21.85% 44.99% 15.81%
Theatre3.11% 17.78% 9.33% 40.89% 28.89%
Traditional Arts 17.14% 14.29% 48.57% 20.00%
Visual Arts 6.04% 18.96% 18.75% 39.90% 16.35%
Multidisciplinary 7.94% 14.49% 19.63% 37.38% 20.56%
Other 6.90% 12.07% 15.52% 48.28% 17.24%

There are some disparities in relation to satisfaction with working conditions among the primary
art forms of respondents; although all art forms have more respondents who reported being
satisfied than dissatisfied. The highest overall satisfaction is seen among respondents whose
primary art form is Theatre, with almost 70% indicating that they are either somewhat satisfied or
very satisfied with their working conditions, followed by Traditional Arts (68.57%). When focusing
only on those who said they were very satisfied, Film (24.43%) also saw a comparatively high
proportion.
Dissatisfaction was highest for respondents whose primary art form is Visual Arts or Literature, with
one in four respondents from these art forms indicating that they are at least somewhat
dissatisfied.
40
8.5 Satisfaction gap between working conditions in the arts sector and
working conditions in other sectors
Figure 8.5 Satisfaction with working conditions - comparison

45.00% 41.61%
40.00% 37.52%
35.00%
30.00%
25.00% 22.08%
18.83% 18.71% 18.50%
20.00%
16.29%
14.48%
15.00%
10.00% 7.09%
4.88%
5.00%
0.00%
Very Dissatisfied Somewhat Neither Satisfied nor Somewhat Satisfied Very Satisfied
Dissatisfied Dissatisfied
Arts Sector Other Sectors
Respondents who had worked in sectors other than the arts were also asked to indicate their level
of satisfaction with their working conditions in other sectors. Comparing the results of this with
satisfaction expressed for working conditions in the arts, we see a pattern emerge.
Dissatisfaction with working conditions was lower in the arts sector compared to working
conditions in other sectors. Similarly, satisfaction with working conditions was higher in the arts
sector than for working conditions in other sectors.
This indicates that artists and creative arts workers are more satisfied working in the arts sector
than in other sectors.
41
9. Arts work perceptions
9.1 Pressure to seek employment outside the sector
9.1.1 Overview
Figure 9.1.1 Pressure to seek employment outside the sector
4.64%
All Respondents 6.48% 14.35% 27.10% 47.43%
2.31%
Recently Trained 3.70%7.41% 19.91% 66.67%
Strongly disagree Somewhat disagree Neither agree nor disagree Somewhat agree Strongly agree
A very high proportion of respondents indicated that they agreed with the statement “I am under
pressure to seek employment outside of the artistic or creative sectors” with 74.53% or almost
three quarters of respondents indicating that they either somewhat agreed or strongly agreed with
that statement.
This figure was even higher among respondents who were recently trained, at 86.58%. Additionally,
two thirds of respondents in this category strongly agreed with the statement.
9.1.2 Gender
Figure 9.1.2 Pressure to seek employment outside the sector by gender
Female 4.07% 6.60% 14.82% 27.04% 47.47%
Male 5.45% 6.73% 13.47% 27.81% 46.53%
Other Gender 22.73% 13.64% 63.64%
42
In relation to gender, responses were broadly similar for those who reported either female or male
as their gender, however a far greater number of people who reported a gender other than male
or female strongly agreed with the statement, and nobody from this group disagreed.
9.1.3 Age
Figure 9.1.3 Pressure to seek employment outside the sector by age
1.46%
18-24 8.78% 22.93% 61.46%
5.37%
25-34 3.54%5.94% 9.23% 26.93% 54.36%
35-44 4.72% 6.52% 14.84% 29.26% 44.66%
45-54 4.42% 6.12% 15.48% 28.57% 45.41%
55-64 5.59% 6.06% 20.98% 26.11% 41.26%
65+ 21.05% 17.11% 32.89% 13.16% 15.79%
Looking at this topic across age bands, it becomes clear that there is some relationship between
the number of people who agree that they are under pressure to seek employment outside of the
arts, and age. The youngest cohort feel the strongest pressure to leave the arts sector, with 84.39%
of those aged between 18 and 24 reporting so.
The number of people agreeing with the statement diminishes as age increases; but still more than
two thirds of 55-64 year olds agree with the statement that they are under pressure to pursue
employment outside of the sector.
The 65+ age group presents a significant step-change compared to other age groups. This age group
has the lowest amount of people agreeing with the statement, at 28.95%, as well as the highest
number of people disagreeing with the statement at 38.16%. The reduced pressure to seek
employment in other sectors for this age group may be due to this age group encompassing a group
43
which traditionally does not form a large proportion of the working population, and may be in
receipt of a pension.
9.1.4 Art form

Figure 9.1.4 Pressure to seek employment outside the sector by art form
Literature 4.65%4.65% 12.02% 20.16% 58.53%
Multidisciplinary 3.17%5.43% 10.86% 27.15% 53.39%
Theatre 4.74% 6.47% 9.91% 29.31% 49.57%
Music 4.81% 6.66% 13.56% 27.25% 47.72%
Visual Arts 4.95% 6.73% 17.01% 25.62% 45.70%
Film 4.63% 6.05% 12.46% 32.38% 44.48%
Dance 2.08% 8.33% 18.75% 31.25% 39.58%
Traditional Arts 5.41% 16.22% 18.92% 24.32% 35.14%
Other 4.84%3.23% 20.97% 38.71% 32.26%
Circus, Spectacle
2.94%11.76% 17.65% 38.24% 29.41%
& Street Arts
Across all art forms the proportion of respondents who agreed with the statement vastly
outnumbered the proportions who disagreed with the statement. It is clear that a significant
44
proportion of artists and creative arts workers within all art forms agree that they are under
pressure to seek employment outside of the artistic or creative sectors.
9.2 I believe that I will always be engaged in artistic or creative work
Figure 9.2.1 I believe that I will always be engaged in artistic or creative work
0.00% 10.00% 20.00% 30.00% 40.00% 50.00% 60.00% 70.00% 80.00% 90.00% 100.00%
Somewhat agree Strongly agree
Respondents of all types were near-universal in agreeing with the statement “I believe that I will
always be engaged in artistic or creative work”, with 94.4% of respondents agreeing with this
statement.
Regardless of the gender of respondent or whether they were an artist, creative arts workers, or
someone who was recently trained, the number of people who disagreed with the statement in all
cases was fewer than 4%.
45
Figure 9.2.2 I believe that I will always be engaged in artistic or creative work by art form
0.00% 1.00% 2.00% 3.00% 4.00% 5.00% 6.00% 7.00% 8.00%
Dance 2.08% 4.17%
Theatre 1.29% 5.60%
Music 0.37% 1.48%
Film 0.36% 2.49%
Other 4.84%
Strongly disagree Somewhat disagree
The proportion of respondents agreeing with the statement is universally high, with only some
small disparities across art forms in relation to the number of people who disagreed with the
statement. The chart above provides an overview of the number of people who disagreed with the
statement by art form. Even for the art form with the highest proportion of people who disagreed
with the statement that they will always be engaged in creative or artistic work, Theatre, this figure
was fewer than 7% of respondents.
46
9.3 I feel that I have to take on any work that is offered to me in my
career as an artist or creative arts worker
9.3.1 Overview
Figure 9.3.1 I feel that I have to take on any work that is offered by stream
0.00% 10.00% 20.00% 30.00% 40.00% 50.00% 60.00% 70.00% 80.00% 90.00% 100.00%
Artists 35.68% 44.15%
Overall, 80.81% of respondents agreed with the statement “I feel that I have to take on any work
that is offered to me in my career as an artist or creative arts worker”. This may indicate a large
majority of people in the sector do not have a high level of agency to be able to choose the work
that they would like to take on in their artistic or creative practice.
The figure was higher for creative arts workers, at 85.81%, and similarly high for those who were
recently trained, at 85.64%.
47
9.3.2 Gender
Figure 9.3.2 I feel that I have to take on any work that is offered by gender
0.00% 10.00% 20.00% 30.00% 40.00% 50.00% 60.00% 70.00% 80.00% 90.00% 100.00%
Female 34.97% 46.98%
Male 37.17% 42.49%
Other Gender 36.36% 54.55%
Somewhat Agree Strongly Agree
Over 90% of those who reported a gender other than male or female agreed with this statement.
The figures for those who disagreed are not shown in the chart above, but 7.74% of females
disagreed with the statement while 10.1% of males disagreed, indicating that it was 30% more
likely for males to disagree that they felt they had to take on any work offered to them compared
to females. 6.82% of those who reported a gender other than male or female disagreed with the
statement.
48
9.3.3 Art form
Figure 9.3.3 I feel that I have to take on any work that is offered by art form
0.00% 10.00% 20.00% 30.00% 40.00% 50.00% 60.00% 70.00% 80.00% 90.00%100.00%
Traditional Arts 43.24% 40.54%
Music 39.46% 44.88%
Other 40.32% 41.94%
Circus, Spectacle & Street Arts 38.24% 50.00%
Theatre 36.64% 50.43%
Film 32.74% 49.11%
Dance 29.17% 62.50%
At least 73% of people in each art form agreed that they felt they have to take on any work that is
offered to them, around 3 out of every 4 respondents at the lower end of the scale. The art form
with the highest proportion of respondents indicating that they agree with this statement was
Dance, at 91.67%.
49
9.4 I feel that I am able to negotiate a good price for my work, contracts
and commissions
9.4.1 Overview
Figure 9.4.1 I feel that I am able to negotiate a good price by stream
All Respondents 12.82% 29.31% 21.30% 29.97% 6.61%
Artists 12.90% 29.13% 20.65% 30.90% 6.43%
Creative Arts
12.46% 30.10% 21.80% 29.07% 6.57%
Workers
Recently Trained 12.50% 30.56% 28.24% 20.37% 8.33%
Strongly disagree Somewhat disagree Neither agree nor disagree

Of the respondents (36.58%) agreed that they are able to negotiate a good price for their work,
slightly more than a third of respondents. Respondents who were recently trained were less likely
to agree with the statement, at 28.7%.
Respondents of all types were similarly likely to disagree with the statement “I feel that I am able
to negotiate a good price for my work, contracts and commissions”, with 42-43% of respondents
disagreeing with the statement, indicating that there is a significant proportion of those who make
up the sector who do not feel as though they can negotiate a good price for their work.
50
9.4.2 Gender
Figure 9.4.2 I feel that I am able to negotiate a good price by gender
Female 14.68% 31.95% 19.52% 28.09% 5.76%
Male 10.77% 26.33% 22.83% 32.46% 7.61%
Other Gender 22.73% 31.82% 27.27% 15.91% 2.27%

There is a disparity among genders in relation to this statement. Respondents who reported their
gender as male were 18% more likely than their female counterparts to agree that they feel they
are able to negotiate a good price for their work, contracts and commissions. Similarly, respondents
who reported their gender as female were 26% more likely to disagree with the statement than
their male counterparts.
Those who reported a gender other than male or female reported the lowest proportion of people
agreeing with the statement and the highest proportion of people disagreeing with the statement,
indicating that this group feel least confident in their ability to negotiate a good price for their work.
51
9.4.3 Art form
Figure 9.4.3 I feel that I am able to negotiate a good price by art form
Film 12.81% 34.16% 20.28% 23.84% 8.90%
Music 9.74% 26.02% 22.32% 34.03% 7.89%
Visual Arts 9.40% 30.66% 19.88% 33.04% 7.02%
Other 9.68% 38.71% 27.42% 17.74% 6.45%
Circus, Spectacle
5.88% 44.12% 14.71% 29.41% 5.88%
& Street Arts
Theatre 18.97% 27.59% 17.67% 31.03% 4.74%
Dance 14.58% 39.58% 18.75% 25.00% 2.08%
Literature 27.91% 26.74% 24.81% 18.60% 1.94%

There is also disparity among art forms in relation to this statement, which are presented in the
chart above.
52
Of all the reported primary art forms of respondents, only Music and Traditional Arts had more
people who agreed with the statement than who disagreed. This was surprising given the high
proportion of unpaid work being undertaken in the Music sector, discussed earlier in Section 5.4.
9.5 I have a strong network of fellow artists/creative arts workers to rely

on professionally, collaborate with or learn from.
9.5.1 Overview
Figure 9.5.1 I have a strong network of fellow artists/creative arts workers to rely on
professionally
All Respondents 5.01% 12.45% 13.79% 41.09% 27.67%
Artists 4.70% 12.37% 13.18% 41.06% 28.69%
Creative Arts
5.54% 11.07% 15.57% 40.83% 26.99%
Workers

68.76% of all respondents agreed with the statement “I have a strong network of fellow
artists/creative arts workers to rely on professionally, collaborate with or learn from”, with 17.46%
of respondents disagreeing.
The figures were similar for artists and creative arts workers, but respondents who were recently
trained had a lower proportion of people who agreed, at 58.34%, and a higher proportion of people
who disagreed, at 23.15%.
53
9.5.2 Gender
professionally by gender
Female 5.34% 13.55% 14.04% 39.82% 27.25%
Male 4.65% 11.72% 13.33% 42.09% 28.22%
Other Gender 6.82% 6.82% 47.73% 38.64%

There is a significant difference in respect of those who reported a gender other than male or
female, with 86.37% of respondents in this category agreeing that they have a strong network of
fellow artists/creative arts workers to rely on professionally, collaborate with or learn from.
Nobody from this category reported that they strongly disagree with the statement, in contrast to
male and female genders, which both reported circa 5% of people strongly disagreeing with the
statement.
54
9.5.3 Settlement type
professionally by location l
Dublin City and

4.30% 11.05% 12.11% 41.32% 31.23%
Suburbs
Cork, Limerick,
Galway, 4.62% 11.14% 17.66% 45.11% 21.47%
Waterford
Large town
(population - 7.61% 10.14% 13.24% 41.69% 27.32%
10,000 or over)
Small town
(population 1,500 4.64% 17.21% 15.03% 37.70% 25.41%
- 9,999)
A rural or remote
5.33% 14.11% 13.85% 39.81% 26.90%
area
Other 6.25% 25.00% 56.25% 12.50%
Respondents based in in Dublin City and Suburbs were most likely to agree that they have a strong
network of fellow artists/creative arts workers to rely on professionally, collaborate with or learn
from, with 72.55% of respondents in this category agreeing with the statement. Large towns were
the next highest settlement type, followed by rural or remote areas and cities other than Dublin.
Small towns were the settlement type with the lowest proportion of respondents agreeing with
the statement, at 63.11% and the highest proportion of respondents disagreeing with the
statement at 21.85%. Rural and remote areas appear to outperform small towns in terms of the
professional networks within the sector.
55
9.5.4 Art form
professionally by art form
Music2.71% 11.84% 41.92% 37.11%
Circus, Spectacle &

2.94% 5.88% 17.65% 38.24% 35.29%
Street Arts
Other 18.18% 6.06% 42.42% 33.33%
Theatre 2.59%8.62% 9.91% 46.55% 32.33%
Dance 8.33% 10.42% 10.42% 43.75% 27.08%
Traditional Arts 5.41% 18.92% 37.84% 27.03%

10.81%
Literature 8.14% 14.34% 38.76% 24.81%
Film 4.63%
15.66% 11.74% 43.77% 24.20%
Visual Arts 6.92% 17.41% 15.73% 38.48% 21.46%
The number of people who agreed with the statement that they have a strong network of fellow
artists/creative arts workers to rely on professionally, collaborate with or learn from appears to
differ between art forms.
Although a majority of respondents from each art form agreed with the statement, the art forms
with the highest proportions of respondents agreeing with the statement were Music (79.03%) and
Theatre (78.88%). The art forms with the lowest proportion of people agreeing were Visual Arts
(59.94%) and Literature (63.52%).
56
9.6 I can sustain my arts career in Ireland
9.6.1 Overview
Figure 9.6.1 I can sustain my arts career in Ireland by stream
All Respondents 12.02% 22.57% 21.80% 32.22% 11.39%
Artists 11.77% 22.66% 21.29% 32.82% 11.45%
Creative Arts
10.42% 19.79% 26.39% 31.25% 12.15%
Workers

Fewer than half of all respondents agreed that they believed that they can sustain their career as
an artist or creative arts worker here in Ireland, with 43.61% of people agreeing with the statement.
The proportions of people agreeing with the statement were similar among artists and creative arts
workers, although creative arts workers were more likely to disagree with the statement than
artists were, with 30.21% of creative arts workers disagreeing and 34.43% of artists disagreeing.
Respondents who were recently trained had the highest proportion of people who disagreed that
they believe that they can sustain their career in Ireland, at 42.13%, which indicates that those at
the outset of their career may be less optimistic about their career prospects in Ireland. This cohort
also had the lowest proportion of people agreeing with the statement, and are the only group
where more people disagreed than agreed with the statement.
57
9.6.2 Gender
Figure 9.6.2 I can sustain my arts career in Ireland by gender
Female 13.49% 23.89% 20.59% 32.19% 9.84%
Male 10.37% 21.08% 22.56% 32.73% 13.27%
Other Gender 18.18% 29.55% 20.45% 22.73% 9.09%

More than 13% of those who identified as male strongly agreed that they can sustain their career
in Ireland, compared to 9.8% of those who reported their gender as female and 9% of those who
reported another gender. Additionally, 47.73% of the latter cohort disagreed with the statement,
making this the only grouping where the number of people who disagreed outnumbered those
who agreed.
9.6.3 Age
Figure 9.6.3 I can sustain my arts career in Ireland – age comparison
I believe that I can sustain my career as an artist or creative arts

worker here in Ireland:
age comparison (%)
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
18-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65+
Total agree Total disagee
58
When responses to this statement are anlysed in relation to age, we see that the number of people
agreeing with the statement increases in tandem with the age of the respondent. The number of
people disagreeing also reduces in a similar fashion.
9.6.4 Art form
Figure 9.6.4 I can sustain my arts career in Ireland by art form
Music 11.59% 21.70% 21.21% 31.20% 14.30%
Literature 17.44% 21.71% 17.83% 31.40% 11.63%
Visual Arts 11.18% 21.27% 21.27% 35.91% 10.39%
Theatre 14.22% 22.84% 22.84% 29.74% 10.34%
Film 11.03% 25.27% 23.49% 30.25% 9.96%
Circus, Spectacle
8.82% 14.71% 23.53% 44.12% 8.82%
& Street Arts
Other 8.06% 25.81% 20.97% 37.10% 8.06%
Dance 8.33% 33.33% 31.25% 20.83% 6.25%

59
Those working in Circus, Spectacle & Street Arts, and art forms that fall into the Other category had
the highest proportions of respondents agreeing that they believed they could sustain a career in
Ireland.
The art forms that had the highest proportions of people disagreeing were Dance and
Multidisciplinary.
60
Annex I – Notes on Sample Selection and Data Collection
Sample Selection
A random sampling technique was employed to select participants from within the cohort of the
8,209 eligible applicants to the Basic Income for the Arts pilot scheme in September 2022.
Given that there is no sufficient consensus on the scale of the arts sector, nor on where the
boundary of what comprises the arts sector lies, precise data in relation to the scale and
composition of the arts sector is difficult to ascertain.
The Basic Income for the Arts Research Team considers that this cohort of eligible applicants likely
provides a representative sample of the composition of the arts sector in comparison to other
available data sources. To address potential selection bias, efforts were made to maximise
response rates in the sector, including large public information efforts and the use of arts
representative organisation to inform the sector of the pilot’s existence.
The sample of 2,997 individuals was selected using a statistical software package which allowed for
the random selection from the overall cohort, using anonymised data, and in the presence of a
representative of an independent company contracted to oversee and verify the selection process.
The selected sample was subsequently analysed by the Basic Income for the Arts Research Team
to ensure that the demographic composition of the selected sample fell within expected ranges,
based on the composition of the cohort of all applicants.
This large sample is likely to mitigate the potential biases in the selection of participants, and
increase the generalisability of the findings. However, while this sample is substantial in size, it is
important to note that without precise knowledge of the target population, the representativeness
of the sample may be subject to uncertainties. Additionally, there may be a degree of self-selection
bias in the sample, accounting for those who may have chosen not to apply to the Basic Income for
the Arts pilot, and also for those who were selected but declined to participate. Self-selection bias
may be more pronounced in the control group, given a reduced incentive to participate in the
research programme. An analysis of the reasons provided by those who were selected but who
subsequently declined to participate, showed that reasons given include: a reduced financial need,
moving abroad, taking up full-time education, and deciding to leave the sector.
Despite a large initial sample, subsamples in respect of some art forms are comparatively small,
given that these art forms comprise a much smaller proportion of the overall sector than other art
forms. For this reason, statistics provided in respect to Architecture and Opera have been grouped
together with Other. It is also worth noting that within the survey, participants are given the option
to identify primarily as a practitioner in Traditional Arts (under art form). Traditional Arts is not
provided for explicitly in the list of art forms in the Arts Act; it is a medium, method or style of
practice within art forms such as music or literature.
61
Regardless of these limitations, the BIA research team is confident that the approach taken was the
most prudent given the limitations within which the research took place, and appropriate caution
has been exercised in interpreting the findings.
Data Collection
The data for this study was collected through a comprehensive online survey administered to 2,997
participants as part of the Basic Income for the Arts pilot programme. The survey was administered
through a bespoke online platform, wherein pilot participants log in and complete the survey at
their convenience. This online platform provided for efficient data collection and ensured the
privacy and confidentiality of the respondents, with the responses provided to the Basic Income
for the Arts Research Team having been removed of personally identifying information such as
names and addresses.
The survey instrument was designed by the BIA Research Team, drawing on desk research in
relation to basic income schemes internationally, as well as prior research on the arts sector. The
team also conducted research into the policy context of the arts sector and consulted with other
Government Departments to ensure consistency with existing research and allow for meaningful
comparisons to be made with the results of other survey research. In particular, consistency with
questions common to the Census, the Survey on Income and Living Conditions, and the Arts Council
definitions was pursued where possible.
The survey drafting process included a peer review process with colleagues from the Irish
Government Economic and Evaluation Service (IGEES) to ensure the robustness of the instrument.
Additionally, a final draft of the survey was reviewed by the Economic and Social Research Institute
(ESRI).
The primary objective of the data collection was to capture a wide range of information related to
the artists' demographics, income sources, spending habits, financial well-being, work and job
quality, perceptions of the arts sector, time use, health and well-being, and experiences of
discrimination.
The data collection period opened in October 2022, and participants were asked to respond based
on their experiences and circumstances in the preceding six months. The data collection period
extended until early January 2023 to allow for the receipt of responses from participants.
The following limitations should be acknowledged when interpreting the findings of this statistical
release:
 The data collected for this study was based on a sample of 2,997 participants who
voluntarily chose to participate in the Basic Income for the Arts pilot program. There
therefore exists a potential for sampling bias, as the participants may not fully represent
62
the entire population of artists working in the arts sector. It is possible that those who
chose to participate have different characteristics or experiences compared to non-
participants, which could introduce some degree of bias in the results.
 The data collected relies on self-reported information provided by the participants. Self-
reporting is subject to various biases, including recall bias and social desirability bias.
Participants may have difficulty accurately recalling certain details or may provide
responses that they perceive to be more socially acceptable, potentially leading to
inaccurate or biased data. An additional consideration is in relation to the potential
differences in responses for those who were assigned to either the treatment or control
group of the research pilot.
 While efforts were made to obtain a diverse and representative sample, it is important to
note that the findings of this study may not be fully generalisable to the entire arts sector
or to other contexts. The characteristics and experiences of artists and creative arts
workers can vary widely, and the specific circumstances of the BIA pilot programme may
introduce unique factors that limit the generalisability of the findings.
 The data collection process relied on an online survey administered through a bespoke
survey platform, and applying to participate in the scheme required the use of an online
application system. Together, these may have a potential selection bias impact although
accommodations were made to allow participants to fill out the application process and
subsequent survey by phone where needed. It is possible that artists who are less
technologically inclined or have limited internet access may be underrepresented in the
sample, which could impact the representativeness of the findings.
 The data collection period was limited to a specific time frame, asking participants to
report on their experiences and circumstances in the preceding six months. This time
constraint may introduce some limitations, as artists' situations and conditions can vary
over time and work in the sector is often sporadic or seasonal.
Despite any potential limitations, the Basic Income for the Arts Research Team is confident that
findings of this study provide valuable insights into the experiences of artists and creative arts
workers in Ireland.
63

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Arts Work Conditions & Perspectives

Statistical Release as part of "A Portrait of the Arts Sector”

Doire Ó Cuinn, Nadia Feldkircher

This paper has been prepared by IGEES staff in

‘any creative or interpretive expression (whether traditional or contemporary), in whatever

 Self-employment is the predominant type of employment in the sector, given

2.1 Overall arts work prevalence

Table 2.1 Worked in the arts in the previous six months

18.06% Recently trained

Includes work in a self-employed capacity, as an employee, and unpaid work.

3. Paid arts work prevalence

3.1 Overall paid arts work prevalence

Table 3.1 Paid Arts Work by Stream

18.04% Recently trained

Figure 3.2 Prevalence of paid work in the arts by age cohort

Had paid work in the arts

Figure 3.3 Prevalence of paid work in the arts by art form

Circus, Spectacle & Street Arts 97.06%

Traditional Arts 83.78%

Visual Arts 81.68%

0.00% 20.00% 40.00% 60.00% 80.00% 100.00% 120.00%

Had paid work in the arts

4.1 Overview of self-employment and work as an employee rates

Figure 4.1 Self-employment and work as an employee by stream

Multiple answers possible.

Figure 4.2 Self-employment and work as an employee by gender

Multiple answers possible.

Figure 4.3 Self-employment and work as an employee by age

Multiple answers possible.

Figure 4.4 Self-employment and work as an employee by primary art form

Multiple answers possible.

Figure 5.1 Unpaid work by stream

Figure 5.2 Unpaid work by gender

20.00% 40.91% 41.86%

Figure 5.3 Unpaid work by age

Figure 5.4 Unpaid work in the arts sector by art form

Figure 6.1.1 Ability to sustain oneself through arts work

Ideally, would you like to only work in the arts?

Figure 6.1.2 Ability to sustain oneself through arts work

Are you able to sustain yourself through arts work alone?

Are you able to sustain yourself through arts work alone?

All Respondents 22.50% 77.50%

Artists 22.94% 77.06%

Recently Trained 7.87% 92.13%

Female 20.01% 79.99%

Male 25.25% 74.75%

Other Gender 18.18% 81.82%

Traditional Arts 35.14% 64.86%

Theatre 33.62% 66.38%

Other 33.33% 66.67%

Dance 31.25% 68.75%

Music 27.62% 72.38%

Film 19.57% 80.43%

Multidisciplinary 18.10% 81.90%

Visual Arts 18.00% 82.00%

Literature 12.02% 87.98%

Figure 6.2 Inability to find work in the arts

No. of those who wanted to work but couldn't All Respondents

Figure 6.3 Inability to find work in other sectors

No. of those who wanted to work but couldn't All Respondents

Table 6.4 Inability to find work - reasons

Table 7.1 Paid work in the arts only by stream

Paid work in the arts only

Figure 7.1 Paid work in the arts only by stream

Arts Work Conditions & Perspectives

Arts Work Conditions & Perspectives