Artists and cultural workers are falling through the cracks of our economy at a time when their work has never been more needed in society. Their ability to exist and thrive is threatened by the cost of living and housing affordability crisis, our increasingly precarious economy, and cuts to grant funding under the new administration.

Many exist in a structural grey area between independent gig workers and small business owners. Their work is often episodic, making them easily left out of safety net programs like unemployment and healthcare—this is especially true for artists from historically marginalized communities.

To address these challenges, we need new systems and solutions to increase economic equity and ensure that our communities have access to creativity and culture. One such area we’ve seen a wave of interest and experimentation around the potential of in recent years is guaranteed income. 

What is guaranteed income? It refers to unrestricted recurring cash payments that people can use however they see fit to cover their basic needs and reach their personal and professional goals. Guaranteed income programs can be focused geographically on specific cities, on specific communities—for example young people, entrepreneurs, or parents—or a mix of both.

At Springboard for the Arts, we’ve been delivering one of the longest running guaranteed income programs in the country since 2021, focusing on both urban and rural artists and creative workers in Minnesota. Our 100 recipients to date include painters, sculptors, hip‑hop artists, singers, composers, teaching artists, performers, and writers who are receiving $500 a month over a five-year period.

This has given us the opportunity to reflect on what we’ve learned and what insights we can offer to others thinking about doing this work.

At its best and most effective, guaranteed income is a tool for justice and repair by supporting populations who have been exploited by social, cultural, and economic systems in America. These programs should be tailored to a community’s needs by considering the connection points between the economics, culture, and physical design of our cities and the impact of policy and planning harms........

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