What Happens When Artists Are Paid to Create? Ireland Tried It.

(VP Kamala Harris: Art by Tamika Cody)

While scrolling TikTok recently, I came across a video that stopped me mid-swipe. I downloaded it and immediately knew it was worth writing about.

An artist was explaining something I had never heard of before. Ireland has a program that pays artists a weekly stipend just to create art. No deadlines. No quotas. No “prove this will make money." Just space to create.

The initiative is called the Basic Income for the Arts, a program launched by the Government of Ireland in 2022. Under it, selected artists receive about €325 per week to support their creative practice.

The idea is simple and radical in a world where many artists juggle multiple jobs just to pay the bills.

What if artists had financial flexibility to make more art?

Ireland first tested the idea through a pilot program. The results were strong enough that the government decided to make the Basic Income for the Arts permanent in 2026.

Artsy U.S. cities such as San Francisco and New York have tested similar programs. But Ireland's Culture Minister Patrick O'Donovan said the country's initiative is the first permanent one of its kind in the world, according to Reuters.

A TikTok That Sparked a Bigger Idea

The video that caught my attention was posted by Azriél Patricia Crews, an artist and entrepreneur, and the daughter of actor Terry Crews.

In the clip, she talks about how Ireland's program inspired a new idea she's working on.

Crews is in the midst of building a platform called SEELAH™, which she describes as a profit-sharing ecosystem for artists.

Her goal is straightforward. End the long-running narrative of the "starving artist."

Instead of creators competing for scraps of exposure or chasing algorithms, the platform aims to allow artists to share in revenue generated within the ecosystem.

She calls it a "no more starving artists initiative."

Why This Conversation Matters

Artists have always helped shape culture, but the reality of being an artist has rarely been economically stable.

Musicians, painters, performers, and writers often create their most important work while holding down other jobs.

Researchers studying Ireland's program are looking at whether guaranteed income allows artists to create more work, remain in their fields longer, and experience less financial stress.

At the same time, entrepreneurs like Crews are exploring whether technology might offer another path forward.

Instead of relying on government support, digital platforms could create shared revenue models that allow artists to earn collectively.

Two Different Paths, One Big Question

Ireland's Basic Income for the Arts represents one approach through public policy. Platforms like Seelah represent another way through innovation.

Both are trying to answer the same question. How do we build a world where artists can create without constantly worrying about survival?

For anyone who believes art shapes culture, that question is worth paying attention to.

Marcellous Lovelace: The Artist Behind the Album Cover of Jill Scott’s “To Whom This May Concern”

A closer look at the artist whose work caught my eye.

(Front cover of Jill Scott’s album To Whom This May Concern,
featuring artwork by Marcellous Lovelace. Photo by Tamika Cody.)

When my daughter surprised me with To Whom This May Concern on vinyl by Jill Scott, I was over the moon. For those of you who don’t know, Jill and I go way back. Her first album, Who Is Jill Scott? Words and Sounds Vol. 1 got me through an emotional divorce. Every album and collaboration since has taught me lessons about life, love, and what it means to be a grown-ass woman.

To Whom This May Concern landed in my lap on Feb. 13, 2026. Yes, my daughter thought ahead and made sure it arrived on the official release date. When I pulled the album out of its shipping box, the cover immediately caught my attention. The artwork is by Chicago artist Marcellous Lovelace, whose name appears in the lower right corner of the cover.

“This is what I miss about holding music in my hands,” I said to my daughter. “The artwork.”

In the digital age of music streaming services, with platforms like iTunes, Spotify, Tidal, and SoundCloud, people often miss out on that extra layer of a musician's creativity. The artwork that accompanies full albums tells a story.

(Back cover of Jill Scott’s album To Whom This May Concern. Photo by Tamika Cody.)

Curious about the artist, I wanted to learn more about Lovelace. During one of the podcasts Scott appeared on while promoting the album, I learned she discovered his work on Instagram. She slid into his DMs, and the rest is history. The piece she chose from Lovelace’s collection is titled "SHE IS BRAVE AND FREE.”

Who is Marcellous Lovelace?

Lovelace was born in Chicago and attended the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.

His Instagram bio reads: “Art of Marcellous Lovelace created to teach self-love and awareness of original people never conforming to Colonialism.”

On the Saatchi Art website, Lovelace explains that his work is rooted in “escaping the worst situation possible.” A few clicks later led me to his personal website, where he describes himself as an “Afro Urban Indigenous Folk Artist (AFRICAN BLACKNESS LIBERATION).”

Lovelace paints in mixed media using found materials. His work draws heavily from personal experience, including growing up in Roseland on Chicago's South Side and witnessing life in economically marginalized communities across America.

“This segregated, poverty-stricken environment helped me to develop over 400 images a year over the last 30 years of my life,” he shared. “My environment is so negative it helps me to create beauty from this struggle. I paint because it’s the only thing that feels good after feeling like I’m trapped in a world that has no hope.”

He uses everything from old pieces of paper to garbage cans, tires, mattresses, and construction debris from torn-down buildings.

The tragedies that occurred in the city where he was raised helped him reinterpret oppression across a wide range of surfaces. His work also aligns with long-standing African artistic traditions where material carries spirit, history, and function.

“My surfaces absorb the trauma, endurance, and lived reality of Black life in America,” he writes in his bio.

His work is inspired by African American artists such as Thornton Dial, Lonnie Holley, Elizabeth Catlett, Noah Purifoy, and Betye Saar, who used discarded materials as historical evidence against erasure, poverty, and racial violence.

Such an inspiring artist. And knowing the story behind the artwork makes Jill Scott’s To Whom This May Concern feel even richer. The music tells one story. Lovelace's painting tells another. Together, they feel like the same conversation.

Brushstrokes of Balance: FDA seeks to remove some risks from boxed warnings on menopause hormone therapy

(Amanda Gorman: Art by Tamika Cody)

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said it is asking drugmakers to update warning labels on hormone therapies used to treat menopause symptoms.

In a consumer update posted on its website, the agency said it has requested that manufacturers remove language about cardiovascular disease, breast cancer, and probable dementia from the boxed warning on menopausal hormone therapy drugs. Boxed warnings are the FDA's most prominent safety alerts.

The risks would still appear in the drugs' warnings and precautions sections. The FDA said the proposed labeling changes are intended to give patients and health care providers updated information about the benefits and risks of hormone therapy.

One warning would remain. The FDA said it is not requesting the removal of the boxed warning about endometrial cancer risk for systemic estrogen-alone products.

Menopause typically occurs between the ages of 45 and 55 and can cause symptoms such as hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal dryness, and sleep disruption. Hormone therapy is one option used to treat those symptoms.

The agency said millions of women avoided hormone therapy after studies in the early 2000s raised concerns about cancer and heart disease risks. Updated labeling, the FDA said, may help women and their doctors make more informed treatment decisions.

Read the FDA's full consumer update here:

Source: 

Food & Drug Administration Consumer Updates

Hormone Replacement Therapies Can Help Women with Bothersome Menopausal Symptoms 

https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/hormone-replacement-therapies-can-help-women-bothersome-menopausal-symptoms 

Related Stories

• Let's Please Talk About Menopause
• The Art of Women's Health
• Melinda French Gates Organization Launches Action for Women's Health

If you have a story, new research, or artwork that is ideal for Brushstrokes of Balance: The Art of Women's Health, please send your pitches to TamikaCodyJournalist@gmail.com. 
Please include "Women's Health" in the subject line.

Read More: The advice we give, the habit we ignore, and the books that shaped my craft.

The other day, a colleague shared that they had been let go from a job they genuinely enjoyed. The reason? Their writing required too much editing.

They asked for guidance on how to keep moving forward in journalism. One piece of advice they were given was simple: “Read more.”

Later, I learned this colleague had scaled back their reading habits.

Within the same hour, I saw a post on social media claiming there are people on Substack who can't write, and it shows.

There have been seasons when my own writing felt dull. That's usually when I realize I've stopped reading. And stopped creating. Craft requires feeding.

You cannot expect depth if you're not consuming depth. 

These are the books that shaped my craft.

The Elements of Style 
by William Strunk Jr. and E. B. White

Anyone who writes for a living should read this book. Not just once. Revisit it yearly. It's a slim volume, but it reminds you that clarity is kindness to the reader.

Working with Words: A Handbook for Media Writers and Editors
by Brian S. Brooks, James L. Pinson, and Jean Gaddy Wilson


A concise guide to correctness and style. Ideal for journalists. It delivers practical advice on writing and formatting for print, broadcast, and digital media.

Aim for the Heart: Write, Shoot, Report, and Produce for TV and Multimedia
by Al Tompkins


I’m a longtime fan of Al Tompkins. His stories were precise and human. This book teaches you how to think visually, emotionally, and structurally at the same time.

Make It Memorable: Writing and Packaging TV News with Style
by Bob Dotson


You don't have to be a broadcast journalist to benefit from this book. You'll learn how to find compelling characters and shape stories that linger long after they're told.

Follow the Story: How to Write Successful Nonfiction
by James B. Stewart


A masterclass in narrative nonfiction. Stewart breaks down the techniques behind deeply reported, character-driven storytelling. It's an indispensable guide whether you're writing books, long-form articles, features, or memoirs.

Paint with words

There have been long stretches in my own life when I didn't pick up a book. I used to read constantly during my commute from Montclair to New York City. Those long train rides built reading into my routine.

Now I work from home. The commute is gone. So I have to be intentional. I bring a book with me on solo dates. Coffee. Dinner. A nightcap. If I’m out alone, I read.

There are brilliant writers in the world. And yes, there are some whose words fall flat.

Not every book will be right for you. But if you consider yourself a creative journalist, aspiring novelist, poet, or songwriter, you should be reading. Collect quotes. Underline passages. Squirrel away sentences that spark something in you.

One of my favorite poets once said, “Take the time to paint with words.” — Jill Scott

If you take the time to paint with words, the reader won’t just understand you. They'll see it.

Brushstrokes of Balance: The Warning Label Didn’t Fail Me. My Doctors Did

(Image created with AI using ChatGPT DALL·E)

In 2002, a government-funded study changed the course of menopause care in America. The Women’s Health Initiative linked Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) to serious health risks like breast cancer, stroke, and blood clots.

The Food and Drug Administration responded by adding a black box warning to the labels of hormone therapy. It was the agency’s most serious alert, causing widespread fear. Women stopped asking for HRT. Doctors stopped recommending it.

What got overlooked was a key detail: most of the women in that study were in their sixties. Many were long past the age when perimenopause symptoms begin. But that nuance got buried, and millions of women were left without real answers or support.

I didn’t even know about the 2002 hormone therapy study until two years ago. By then, my body had already begun to change. I just didn’t know what to call it. All I had was a list of symptoms.

• Brain fog 
• Joint pain
• A weird metal taste in my mouth that only salt could fix
• Hair shedding in clumps
• Itchy skin
• Zero motivation
• Tears that came out of nowhere
• My creativity? Gone.
• My menstrual cycle? Unpredictable.

I thought I was losing my mind.

TikTok saved me.

Women my age were posting about symptoms I never heard linked to perimenopause. And to be honest, it was my first time seeing or hearing the word "perimenopause." No one ever mentioned this to me before. It wasn’t just hot flashes, well, in my case, I have sleep sweats. It didn't matter what time of the day it was; if I slept, I sweated. It was the internal unraveling I was going through, and suddenly, I wasn’t alone.

So I went to my gynecologist. I was 48. She told me I was too young.

Then I went to my family care doctor. She chalked it all up to stress. But here’s the thing, I wasn’t stressed. I landed one of my dream jobs. I felt inspired. I felt good about where my career was heading. So why was I crying over dog food commercials?

It didn’t make sense.

I left those appointments with no answers, just frustration. That’s when two women I’d followed on TikTok for years slid into my DMs after I left a comment on a perimenopause video of another content creator. They told me in so many words to advocate for myself. To ask for hormone testing. To research HRT.

When I brought it up to my doctor, she warned me about the risks.

What she didn’t tell me? Those risks were based on outdated data from a 2002 study focused on women much older than me. What she should have said is what a recent Washington Post opinion piece made clear: the Food and Drug Administration’s black box warning scared a generation of women and doctors into silence.

So I took a different route and did a deep dive into handling my symptoms, starting with what I put into my body. I shifted my diet. I added more protein. I started taking cod liver oil, magnesium citrate, and a veggie capsule that includes freeze-dried lion’s mane mushroom and chia seeds.

I also found a GYN who practices natural herbal care. She blended a custom collection of dried teas, salves, body oils, and tinctures to help me manage the symptoms. And honestly, I chalk it up to this: before the FDA existed, what did our ancestors rely on to heal? Natural plants, flowers, oils, and remedies pulled from the earth.

I cut back on wine, too. I went from two or three glasses a night to just a few a month. And I feel better. Lighter. Not perfect, but clearer. More in tune with myself.

Now I’m working on building consistency with movement. I take long walks with a weighted vest, stretch regularly, and do light strength training. Some days, I still crash from random waves of exhaustion, but I can manage it.

I honestly don’t know how women with full-time jobs are juggling all of this while showing up every day.

Looking back, losing my dream job may have been a blessing in disguise. It gave me the time and space to understand what is happening to my body and figure out how to manage it.

Freelancing gave me room to reset and rebuild. And now, with the tools in place and a better understanding of what I need, I feel ready to return to full-time work. This time, with more balance, clarity, and self-awareness.

What frustrates me is that it didn’t have to be this hard. I shouldn’t have had to crowdsource a diagnosis from social media. I shouldn’t have been brushed off by professionals trained to listen.

And I definitely shouldn’t have been told I was “too young” when I was right on time.

The FDA has a chance to make this right. However, we can also do so by talking about it. By reminding each other we’re not crazy, our bodies are just changing.

And that change doesn’t have to mean suffering in silence.

Related Stories

• Menopause is finally breaking out of its shell
• Let's Please Talk About Menopause
• The Art of Women's Health
• Melinda French Gates Organization Launches Action for Women's Health

If you have a story, new research, or artwork that is ideal for Brushstrokes of Balance: The Art of Women's Health, please send your pitches to TamikaCodyJournalist@gmail.com. 
Please include "Women's Health" in the subject line.