I wonder about that too, but I think there's two things in its favor that pretty much outweigh everything else:
1. Prevent low-wage, low-skill workers from being exploited. If the manager at a fast food restaurant is a creep or a jerk, desperate people feel they have to stay and put up with it so they can make rent that month. If they instead had a safety net and were able to quit without being put out on the street, then they'd be less likely to tolerate being taken advantage of.
2. Like you mentioned, art. Many people work to survive so they can pursue their real passion. Musicians, artists, anyone you see at a booth in the farmers market with handmade trinkets, and so on. UBI would allow them to focus on their art, and more people to participate and experiment, and I think the world would be better for it.
1. Prevent low-wage, low-skill workers from being exploited. If the manager at a fast food restaurant is a creep or a jerk, desperate people feel they have to stay and put up with it so they can make rent that month. If they instead had a safety net and were able to quit without being put out on the street, then they'd be less likely to tolerate being taken advantage of.
2. Like you mentioned, art. Many people work to survive so they can pursue their real passion. Musicians, artists, anyone you see at a booth in the farmers market with handmade trinkets, and so on. UBI would allow them to focus on their art, and more people to participate and experiment, and I think the world would be better for it.