Artists in New York got $1,000 monthly through a basic income program. One participant used the money to pay bills and afford healthcare.
- Creatives Rebuild New York gave 2,400 artists $1,000 monthly for 18 months in a basic income program.
- The program aimed to help New York artists financially recover from the pandemic.
Guaranteed basic income allowed Jacinta Bunnell to finally take a deep breath.
The 52-year-old is an artist based in Stone Ridge, New York, an area about 100 miles north of Manhattan. She's created coloring books, projects using found paper and objects, and a children's book focused on LGBTQ+ family life called "A More Graceful Shaboom" — along with selling vintage items online. She loves her work, but she often lives paycheck to paycheck.
Recently, that changed. Bunnell was a participant in Creatives Rebuild New York's guaranteed income program. The organization — which was created in 2021 to help New York-based artists financially recover from the pandemic — gave 2,400 artists across the state $1,000 a month for 18 months.
- Participants were in staggered payment groups beginning summer 2022, with the last payments distributed in March 2024. They could spend their money however they chose, no strings attached.
The program was designed by a think tank of artists, arts administrators, and guaranteed income scholars. Meanwhile, funding came from several foundations, including the Mellon Foundation, Tides Center, Ford Foundation, and Stavros Niarchos Foundation.
"The timing of it literally couldn't have been more perfect because I was able to get on my feet again and start thinking about making art," Bunnell told Business Insider.
To be eligible for the program, participants like Bunnell had to demonstrate financial need under the self-sufficiency standard, a measure created in the 1990s by Dr. Diana Pearce. The standard determines the income required for a person to afford basic necessities where they live.
Some of the guaranteed income participants lived in cities, while others lived in rural areas. For example, an individual living in Northwest Brooklyn needs at least $53,000 a year, according to the self-sufficiency standard.
Participants also had to identify as an "artist, culture bearer, or culture maker," which could include practicing crafts, dance, design, filmmaking, literary arts, theater, music, or oral tradition. The participant's work was not evaluated based on merit.
The 2,400 selected participants were surveyed about their experiences throughout the program — similarly to other guaranteed income research — but there was no control group. The full Creatives Rebuild New York report with the results of these surveys is expected to be published at the end of July, according to the program.
"Artists have been making so much important work that we all live by, live with, and care about," said Maura Cuffie-Peterson, the director of strategic initiatives, guaranteed income for Creatives Rebuild New York. "But they are very rarely fairly compensated or taken care of to make that work."
Creatives Rebuild New York's guaranteed income program joins over 100 similar pilots across the US aimed at reducing local poverty levels. The programs typically give low-income Americans between $100 and $2,000 for a set period of time to spend as they choose. BI has heard from participants who used the money to afford rent and groceries, pay off debt and medical bills, and support their children.
Bunnell spent her money on healthcare and art resources
Bunnell said she and her partner both work and have some savings, but their bills sometimes feel never-ending.
Per the Creative Rebuild New York artist survey, most artists in New York have a household income below $50,000 a year, though that figure can fluctuate significantly month-to-month, and 46% rely on gig work for additional income.
For Bunnell, the pilot helped her pay for healthcare. She developed a chronic illness a few years ago and said her guaranteed income helped her afford the specialists, medicine, and supplements she needed, especially since many of those treatments were out-of-pocket-costs.
The illness also limited her ability to work. She said the $1,000 a month helped her fill in the income gaps and gave her resources to take on more art projects.
"I think there's a misconception that it can make you lazy and not want to work," she said. "I've met a lot of artists who received this, and it only made them more motivated and excited."
Creatives Rebuild New York offered some artists a financial safety net
In addition to monthly guaranteed income, Creatives Rebuild New York is leading a two-year program that funds $65,000 annual salaries for another 300 artists across the state, ending in 2024. Neither program plans to extend beyond its initial timeline or funding. The organization allocated $43.2 million total to the guaranteed income program and $61.6 million to the artist employment program.
To be sure, cash payment programs continue to face political and legal opposition across the country, and not all policymakers agree that the model is a sustainable way to reduce poverty. Results from programs like Creatives Rebuild New York are based on participant's self-reported experiences while receiving payments, and it's not yet clear how guaranteed income will impact their long-term financial stability.
Cuffie-Petersons, however, said that anecdotal results so far show that participants are using the money to build financial stability and continue their art.
"The reality is that most people could really benefit from a little extra cash a month," she said.
Have you benefited from a guaranteed income program? Are you open to sharing how you spent the money? If so, reach out to this reporter at allisonkelly@businessinsider.com.