Creatives Rebuild New York - Guaranteed Income for Artists New

Inactive
Payments began June 2022 and ran 18 months per participant; the initiative concluded and results were published in 2024-2025. Programme is closed; the organisation now exists mainly to disseminate findings and advocacy.

Creatives Rebuild New York was a three-year, $125 million philanthropic initiative that paid 2,400 financially insecure New York State artists $1,000 a month, no strings attached, for 18 consecutive months. Anchored by $115 million from the Mellon Foundation with $5 million each from the Ford Foundation and the Stavros Niarchos Foundation, it was one of the largest purely philanthropic guaranteed income programmes ever run.

Funding
Non-state
https://www.creativesrebuildny.org/
Blockchain

None (fiat)

Social identity

Open application to New York State artists demonstrating financial insecurity, with prioritisation for people acutely affected by institutional barriers based on race, disability, sexual orientation, citizenship status and caregiving responsibilities. Selection by weighted lottery among eligible applicants; cash unconditional after selection.

Social mining

$1,000 per month for 18 consecutive months, paid by direct deposit/prepaid card, with no restrictions on use.

Token economics

Private philanthropy - $115M from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation plus $5M each from the Ford Foundation and the Stavros Niarchos Foundation; fiscally sponsored by the Tides Center.

Governance

Project of the Tides Center (fiscal sponsor), governed by a steering structure with artist advisors; evaluated by independent academic researchers.

Verified users
2,400 artists receiving guaranteed income (2,700 artists supported across all CRNY programmes including employment)
Key people

Funded and convened by the Mellon Foundation (Elizabeth Alexander, President)

Locations
New York State, USA
Links
Creatives Rebuild New York
CRNY - Our Story
Mellon Foundation - Creatives Rebuild New York
The Conversation - what happened when struggling artists got $1,000/month
Notes

- Results: improved financial stability, reduced debt, increased savings, roughly a 17% increase in positive mental health outcomes, and increased artistic output; artists did not stop working.
- Included as a historically significant completed programme - the largest guaranteed income programme aimed at a single occupational group and entirely foundation-funded.