The Irish Do It Best
Basic income for artists turns permanent, Louvre director resigns, orchid extravaganza in NYC, and the Bronx artist who's driving the right nuts.
Some countries deplete their budgets on guns and bombs, or tax cuts for billionaires, while others, like Ireland, prefer to spend that money on the well-being of artists.
After a successful three-year pilot, the Irish government made its basic income program for artists permanent. Similar pilots have been launched here in the United States, but they're supported primarily by the nonprofit sector. Perhaps American policymakers should read our report below for inspiration.
On a separate note, please join me for a virtual chat with artist and Hyperallergic contributor Damien Davis on March 2 (3–4pm ET). Damien has authored some of our most talked-about articles in the past two years. We'll discuss his art, writings, and the things that get him fired up about the art world. Hope to see you there.
—Hakim Bishara, editor-in-chief
Ireland Makes Basic Income Program for Artists Permanent
The Irish government will give 2,000 artists unrestricted weekly stipends in a program officials described as a “recognition, at government level, of the important role of the arts in Irish society.”
Want a Free Visual Guide to Your Artist Tax Deductions?
This clear, visual tax guide is like an IRS translator. Made by artist and tax pro Hannah Cole of Sunlight Tax, it tells you exactly where to put each deduction for your art and how to keep it safe, legal, and IRS-proof. Stop missing deductions you’re entitled to, and feel safe knowing you’re doing it all right.
News
- Louvre Museum President and Director Laurence des Cars resigns from her post after months of scrutiny following the infamous jewel heist last October.
- Manhattan DA drops all charges against photographer Alexa Wilkinson, who was arrested after documenting a protest at the New York Times headquarters last summer.
From Our Critics
The Disappearing Art of Iberian Democracy
The varied, confrontational works on view at Madrid’s La Casa Encendida are reminders of the intense labor required to protect liberty. | Lauren Moya Ford
Creative Courses and Certificates in a Format That Works for You
Join the creative community at Rhode Island School of Design Continuing Education from anywhere in the world. With in-person and online courses for adult students, along with flexible online certificate programs, you can pursue your passion, launch a career in art and design, or try something new.
Opinion
Why My Public Art Drives the Right Nuts
Bronx-based artist Shellyne Rodriguez has endured targeted attacks by right-wing groups and tabloids like the New York Post since 2023. This has led to threats to her personal safety and her dismissal from teaching jobs at two New York art schools. Now, her detractors are displeased with her public installation "Phoenix Ladder" in her home borough. Today, Rodriguez fires back, calling out the ill intent of her critics and defending her work as "an homage to the people of the Bronx, a lighthouse for our collective futures, and our witness."
Member Comment
Christopher Vitiello on Claire Voon's “The Curious Histories of Colors, from Beige to Heliotrop”:
New York City Economic Development Corporation – Operator for the Harlem African Burial Ground Cultural Education Center
NYCEDC seeks proposals from qualified parties to conceptualize and operate a cultural education center at the historic Harlem African Burial Ground in New York City, a site of deep significance for the city’s Black and Indigenous communities in East Harlem. Read more on Hyperallergic.
Deadline: April 6, 2026 | edc.nyc/habg-rfp
See more in this month’s list of opportunities for artists, writers, and art workers!
Guide
Your Guide to Fairs and Shows This LA Frieze Week
It's Frieze week in LA, and you already know what that means — artists, dealers, curators, and collectors flock to the Santa Monica Airport for the behemoth fair. But it's far from the only one in town. Matt Stromberg has a run-down of the other seven fairs in the city this week, including Felix, Butter, and the Other Art Fair. His guide also features a handful of limited-run exhibitions and events coinciding with the fair scene for when you want a break from the booth-hopping.
Orchid Spectacle in NYC
A Tour Inside the NY Botanical Garden’s Trippy Orchid Show
Classic city scenes become floral fantasies with thousands of blooming orchids in Mr. Flower Fantastic’s Concrete Jungle, this year’s pop-timistic iteration of a beloved annual orchid show. Greta Rainbow visited the opening and came back charmed.
