Most Artists Earn Low Salaries and Should therefore Receive Funds from the Government - IELTS Writing Task 2

Kasturika Samanta

9 min read

Updated On Dec 01, 2025

Improve your writing skills for IELTS Writing Task 2 with the agree-disagree essay ‘Most Artists Earn Low Salaries and Should therefore Receive Funds from the Government’. Get a detailed outline, sample answers & vocabulary to create your Band 7+ essay.

Most Artists Earn Low Salaries and Should therefore Receive Funds from the Government

Essay Question for ‘Most Artists Earn Low Salaries and Should therefore Receive Funds from the Government’
Outline for IELTS Agree Disagree Essay
Sample Answers for Most Artists Earn Low Salaries and Should therefore Receive Funds from the Government IELTS Writing Task 2
Vocabulary to Use for Most Artists Earn Low Salaries and Should therefore Receive Funds from the Government - IELTS Writing Task 2

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Throughout history, artists have shaped societies by documenting emotions, culture, and identity. Yet in today’s fast-paced, profit-driven world, creative professions rarely receive the financial recognition they deserve. To address this issue, the IELTS Writing Task 2 essay topic ‘Most artists earn low salaries and should therefore receive funds from the government’ asks you to provide your opinion supported by relevant examples.

This blog provides three sample answers for the IELTS agree and disagree essay, ‘Most artists earn low salaries and should therefore receive funds from the government’, along with an outline and relevant IELTS vocabulary, which is crucial for achieving a high band score.

Essay Question for ‘Most Artists Earn Low Salaries and Should therefore Receive Funds from the Government’

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

Most artists earn low salaries and should therefore receive funds from the government in order for them to continue with their work. To what extent do you agree or disagree? Give your own opinion and relevant examples.

You should write at least 250 words.

Outline for IELTS Agree Disagree Essay

Given below is the outline that will help you to understand how to write agree-disagree essays in IELTS.

Introduction

Paraphrase the topic.
Clearly state your opinion (agree, disagree, or neutral).

Body Paragraph 1

If agreeing/disagreeing: Explain your first main reason clearly.
Support with examples and logical explanation.

Body Paragraph 2

Present your second reason for agreeing/disagreeing.
Use relevant, realistic examples.

Conclusion

Restate your thesis clearly.
Summarize your main points briefly.

Sample Answers for Most Artists Earn Low Salaries and Should therefore Receive Funds from the Government IELTS Writing Task 2

You will find three IELTS Band 9 essay samples on the topic ‘Most Artists Earn Low Salaries and Should therefore Receive Funds from the Government’ given below. They will assist you in writing your own essay and reaching a high score.

Most Artists Earn Low Salaries and Should therefore Receive Funds from the Government - Sample Answer 1

It is often argued that because many artists earn very little, governments should offer financial support to help them continue their creative pursuits. I fully agree with this view, as public funding can protect cultural heritage, promote social enrichment, and ensure long-term artistic innovation.

Firstly, artists contribute significantly to a nation’s cultural identity. Their work, whether in music, painting, theatre, literature, or sculpture, enriches society far beyond what their income reflects. Art shapes how people understand history, express emotions, and interpret social issues. However, without financial assistance, many talented individuals may be forced to abandon their craft and seek more stable careers, leading to a gradual cultural decline. For example, numerous traditional artisans in India struggle to survive due to limited commercial demand, and government grants have helped preserve dying art forms such as Madhubani painting, classical puppetry, and handloom weaving. These interventions show that targeted support can keep invaluable cultural traditions alive for future generations.

Secondly, government funding encourages experimentation and innovation by reducing financial pressure. Artists who rely solely on sales often create only what sells, restricting creativity and discouraging risk-taking. With public support, however, they are more likely to explore new techniques, social themes, and unconventional ideas that benefit society intellectually and emotionally. Publicly supported institutions like the National Endowment for the Arts in the US demonstrate how strategic funding has enabled independent filmmakers, writers, and performers to produce socially impactful projects that would not have been possible through private sponsorship alone.

In conclusion, I strongly believe government support for artists is essential. It safeguards cultural heritage, nurtures creative freedom, and empowers creators to innovate without financial strain. By investing in the arts, governments ultimately invest in the cultural, intellectual, and emotional well-being of their citizens.

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Most Artists Earn Low Salaries and Should therefore Receive Funds from the Government - Sample Answer 2

Some people believe that because artists often earn low incomes, governments should financially support them. However, I disagree with this view, as such funding may encourage dependency, reduce artistic accountability, and lead to misallocation of valuable public resources.

To begin with, relying on government funding can reduce motivation and accountability among artists. Art is inherently subjective, and state-funded programmes may end up supporting work that lacks public interest or artistic merit. When artists know they will be funded regardless of audience engagement or commercial success, they may produce work that is disconnected from the public or overly experimental, lacking purpose. A clear example can be seen in certain European countries where heavily subsidised theatre groups continue to perform shows with extremely low attendance. Yet, they still receive large amounts of public money, which not only wastes resources but also undermines the principle that art should resonate with society.

Secondly, government budgets must prioritise essential services such as healthcare, infrastructure, and education. In countries with limited resources, allocating large sums to artists may not be justifiable, especially when many citizens struggle for necessities like clean water, affordable medical care, and reliable transportation. While art enriches society, it cannot come at the cost of fundamental welfare. Moreover, in the modern world, artists have more opportunities than ever to earn sustainable incomes without relying on government support. Digital platforms such as online galleries, music streaming sites, social media marketing, and crowdfunding allow artists to showcase their work globally. These tools encourage self-sufficiency and enable creators to connect directly with audiences who genuinely value their work.

In conclusion, although artists undeniably contribute to cultural and creative life, government funding is not the most effective or equitable solution. Promoting self-reliance, innovation, and digital entrepreneurship offers a more sustainable path forward. Therefore, I disagree with the idea of providing widespread financial support to artists.

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Most Artists Earn Low Salaries and Should therefore Receive Funds from the Government - Sample Answer 3

Unlock Band 9 Sample Answer

An artist’s livelihood depends upon the skillful display of their talents and mastery of the creative arts, but they often struggle to make a modest living from it. This has invited discussion about whether or not artists should receive financial aid from the government, which would enable them to keep performing their art. Personally, I am of the opinion that the authorities ought to directly fund the artisans to allow them to pursue their craft voluntarily and I will state the reasons why it would be greatly beneficial.

Firstly, creative arts are the prime source of income for most artists. Throughout history, many luminaries, such as Vincent Van Gogh and John Keats, have been in dire straits financially, which culminated in tragically short creative lives. Had the government provided pecuniary aid, the world would have been blessed with more of their creative masterpieces. A notable example in this regard is Satyajit Ray, whose magnum opus, Panther Panchali, would probably never have seen the light of day had the government not stepped in and provided him with the funds he needed to complete his cinematic masterpiece.

Secondly, artists are the torchbearers when it comes to preserving a country or a region’s cultural heritage and traditions. By aiding artists financially, the government would also be helping to preserve the cultural legacy and historical customs, which maintain the cultural identity of any place. Lastly, by funding artists, the government would help create jobs and encourage other people to pursue art as their vocation. This would bring communities together by involving them in preserving the arts, nurturing their cultural consciousness, and continuing to capture the zeitgeist for years to come.

However, in opposition to the aforementioned views, government funding of the arts could be better utilised to strengthen the infrastructure of the country by investing in sectors such as healthcare, education, or social services. Furthermore, there are many non-profit organisations which work to provide funding to artisans and showcase their works which, some opine, reduces the necessity of government involvement.

In conclusion, the government ought to support creative pursuits by offering financial assistance to artists, which would enable them to stop worrying about sustenance and continue creating works of cultural significance. One can only hope that this strategy is adopted by governments across the world, which would enthuse more people to go into the arts and establish themselves as artists.

Vocabulary to Use for Most Artists Earn Low Salaries and Should therefore Receive Funds from the Government - IELTS Writing Task 2

Here is an IELTS Vocabulary Words List for Band 8 or 9 related to the topic, ‘Most Artists Earn Low Salaries and Should therefore Receive Funds from the Government’ to help you boost your vocabulary.

Word/Phrase	Meaning	Example Sentence
Creative pursuits	activities involving imagination and artistic expression	Many young people struggle to balance their creative pursuits with the need to earn a stable income.
Puppetry	the art of creating performances using puppets	Traditional puppetry in Rajasthan continues to attract tourists despite declining local interest.
Interventions	actions taken to improve or change a situation	Government interventions saved several traditional crafts that were on the verge of disappearing.
Invaluable	extremely useful; too valuable to measure	Her guidance proved invaluable when he was preparing his portfolio for art school.
Accountability	responsibility for one’s actions or decisions	Public funding must always come with accountability to avoid misuse of resources.
Misallocation	incorrect or inefficient distribution of resources	Misallocation of cultural funds often results in support for projects that fail to benefit communities.
Undermines	weakens or damages something subtly or gradually	Supporting low-quality art with public money undermines genuinely deserving artists.
Resonate	to evoke a response or connect emotionally with an audience	His street theatre performances resonate deeply with young people facing social pressure.
Enriches	improves the quality of something; adds value	Art enriches society by encouraging empathy, creativity, and critical thinking.
Sustainable	able to continue over time without causing harm or running out of resources	Digital platforms offer artists more sustainable ways to earn a living.
Crowdfunding	raising money from many people, typically through online platforms	The filmmaker relied on crowdfunding to finance her independent documentary.
Self-sufficiency	the ability to meet one’s own needs without external support	Online teaching allowed the musician to achieve financial self-sufficiency.
Equitable	fair and impartial; treating everyone equally	Public policies must ensure equitable distribution of resources among all art forms.
Entrepreneurship	the process of creating and managing a business or innovative venture	Modern artists often rely on entrepreneurship to market their work globally.
Livelihood	a person’s means of earning money	Teaching was her livelihood and she thoroughly enjoyed educating and shaping young minds.
Prime	most important; essential	The prime source of motivation for him was self-interest.
Luminary	a distinguished or inspiring person in a particular field	The literary meet was graced by several luminaries from the arts and was deemed a success.
Dire straits	a very difficult or desperate situation	Hari found himself in dire straits financially and decided to seek help from his siblings.
Pecuniary	relating to money; financial	He denied betraying them for pecuniary advantage when questioned about it in court.
Magnum opus	a person’s most important or greatest work	Paradise Lost is widely regarded as Milton’s magnum opus.
Torchbearer	a leading figure who represents or champions a cause	Martin Luther King Jr. was the torchbearer of the civil rights movement in 1960s America.
Vocation	a strong feeling of suitability for a particular career or calling	He had finally discovered his vocation in writing poetry.
Zeitgeist	the defining spirit or mood of a particular period in history	His films captured the zeitgeist of Kolkata in the 1970s with remarkable clarity.
Enthuse	to motivate, inspire, or make someone excited	Brutus' speech failed to enthuse the Roman crowd the way Mark Antony’s powerful words did.

To conclude, whether governments should financially support artists remains a complex debate tested frequently in IELTS Writing Task 2. Therefore, by understanding both sides of the argument for recent IELTS topics in Writing Task 2 and using advanced, topic-specific vocabulary, you should craft essays that demonstrate critical thinking, coherence, and a high level of language proficiency.

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