NYC Artists Received $1,000 Monthly

Why this is here: Artists receiving the monthly payments spent about 3.9 more hours per week on arts work than artists who did not receive payments.

Creatives Rebuild New York gave 2,400 artists in New York state $1,000 each month starting in June 2022. The program, funded by the Andrew W.

Mellon Foundation, had no restrictions on spending and aimed to support artists as workers. Researchers Joanna Woronkowicz and Doug Noonan evaluated the program and found recipients did not stop working.

Instead, artists shifted their time—spending roughly 3.9 more hours weekly on artistic pursuits and 2.4 fewer on non-arts work. Total earnings decreased by about $11,600 annually, nearly matching the $12,000 in payments. However, fluctuating artist incomes make it difficult to determine if the program directly caused the earnings drop.

The study distinguished itself by focusing on “work-preference,” acknowledging artists may prioritize creative fulfillment over maximizing income. Longer-term effects remain unclear, and researchers plan to track whether these shifts in work habits endure beyond the program’s duration.