A basic income for artists

Sir, – I write in emphatic support of the decision of Minister for Culture Catherine Martin to introduce a basic income for artists.

Since art, culture and those who foster it are so often undervalued in our country in favour of economic or financial measures of merit, I welcome in particular her sentiment that the basic income should not be thought of as a “social protection support, but instead in recognition of the value of artistic practice”. – Yours, etc,

ORLA HEATLEY,

Wicklow.