Artists struggling to make a living in Northern Ireland, research suggests

Artists in Northern Ireland are earning on average of just £11,200 a year from their work and more than half have or would consider leaving the region for better career prospects, a report has found.

The research, undertaken by Perspective Economics and commissioned by the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, is the first study of its kind in over a decade.

The study, which examined 481 responses from artists across various demographics, career stages and artistic disciplines, found loss of public investment for the arts, the short-term and long-term impact of Covid-19 and the cost-of-living crisis to be among the challenges which have shaped the sector over the last 10 years.

Despite there being an estimated 14,500 artists in Northern Ireland, just 29% of those surveyed said they worked full time in the arts and derived all of their income from their artistic practice.

Over half (53%) indicated they have considered or would consider permanently relocating outside Northern Ireland for better career prospects.

This figure rose to 65.2% for those aged between 18 and 34, suggesting potential issues with retaining young artists due to a lack of career opportunities.

Karly Greene, director of strategic developments and partnerships at the Arts Council, said: “This report gives us new insight into the challenges facing artists here.

“Findings show that although our arts community is highly trained and educated, few work full time and earning potential is severely limited.

“The report also noted high levels of anxiety among artists when compared to the general population.”

She added: “The Arts Council recently launched a new 10-year strategy and within that we outlined our commitment to grow artistic talent and develop the wider workforce.

“Artists, the work they produce, the festivals they create, the music the compose, are at the very heart of life in Northern Ireland, enriching communities, driving tourism, boosting our nighttime economy.

“This is a sector from which we ask an awful lot but to which we give very little.

“Further investment in the arts would yield significant returns for Northern Ireland, giving them the capacity to grow and the ability to generate more income from other sources.”

The report found there are approximately 14,500 artists in Northern Ireland and the mean total income reported by those who made some of their income from arts activities was £19,200 in 2023.

The mean income directly related to their arts activities was £11,200.

Some 29% of those surveyed earned all of their income from their arts activities and 26% said between 1% and 19%.

The report said that comparing total income to 2010 research suggests artists have faced a real-terms reduction in overall income by 11% between 2010 and 2023.

It also said that 27% of artists with arts-related income have received at least one public grant in the past, and earn approximately £2,600 more a year from the arts compared with those who have not received a grant.

The survey suggests anxiety is more prevalent among artists than for the general population. On average, artists reported anxiety levels of 5.1, compared with 2.9 for the whole of Northern Ireland.