More alarmingly, its 2013 survey found that 64 per cent of visual artists earned less than €10,000 for both creative and non-creative work; that 57 per cent of artist households were in arrears for the previous 12 months; and that 86 per cent said they would be relying on State pensions alone after retirement.

“I think it is time we all spoke very openly about this,” Hynes says. People may not be aware, for instance, that artists often have to pay for their exhibition space, in addition to hosting costly openings.

http://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/why-irish-artists-are-on-the-breadline-1.2164580