Filling the Social Welfare Gap: Guaranteed Income for Artists as a Supplement to Government Assistance

• In Event: Strengthening Public Benefits to Support Family Financial Resilience

Abstract

Guaranteed income (GI) programs are gaining traction globally as a strategy to address economic insecurity, but questions remain about who benefits, how such programs interact with existing social safety nets, and whether they reach populations underserved by public assistance. This paper examines these questions through a case study of Creatives Rebuild New York’s Guaranteed Income for Artists (GIA) program, which provided $1,000 monthly payments to 2,400 artists in New York State for 18 months. The program emphasized reaching marginalized groups—defined by race, gender identity, disability, immigration status, caregiving roles, and justice system involvement—who often fall through the cracks of traditional welfare systems.

Drawing on administrative data from nearly 22,000 applicants and comparative demographic data from the American Community Survey (ACS), this study investigates whether the GIA program extended financial support to artists who were not receiving public assistance and whether the program’s prioritization model effectively reached a more diverse and economically vulnerable population. Using logistic regression and Monte Carlo simulations, we evaluate the extent to which public assistance status influenced program selection and analyze the demographic and occupational profiles of recipients compared to those served by government programs.

Findings indicate that receipt of government assistance was not a significant predictor of selection into the GIA program once other marginalized status variables were controlled for. In fact, the majority of GIA recipients were not receiving public assistance, suggesting that the program expanded support to individuals overlooked by traditional safety net programs. Moreover, the program’s selection model, which incorporated self-sufficiency standards rather than federal poverty thresholds, allowed for a more nuanced assessment of financial need—especially important for artists, who often experience irregular employment and income volatility that disqualifies them from public benefits.

By examining the outcomes of a privately funded GI program targeted at a specific occupational group, this paper contributes to the growing literature on guaranteed income by offering a rare micro-level analysis of equity-focused design and implementation. It provides empirical evidence that GI programs can serve a supplementary role to public welfare, particularly when they incorporate priority criteria to address racial, gender, and economic disparities. Additionally, by simulating the GIA’s weighted lottery within a broader artist population, the study demonstrates the potential scalability and replicability of targeted GI models across other demographic or professional groups.

This research highlights the capacity of GI programs to reach beyond the populations typically served by public aid, not only providing income support but also correcting for structural exclusions in welfare eligibility. It offers a policy-relevant model for how GI can be used to enhance economic security and equity—particularly in sectors like the arts, where work is often precarious and undervalued. As policymakers and funders explore the future of guaranteed income, this case study underscores the importance of inclusive design and context-aware implementation to ensure such programs fulfill their transformative potential.

Author

• Douglas S Noonan, Indiana University
  Presenting Author