A pilot project in Scotland, based on the Irish model could see an initial 2000 writers, musicians, playwrights and visual artists secure almost £15,000 a year to help them pursue a career.
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Ms McAllan said a key ambition was to ensure that artists in Scotland were not left to feel that developing their craft or talent is “a hobby”.
She suggested her support for the scheme was based on a belief that artists make “a huge contribution” to Scotland’s national life.
The culture secretary insisted the scheme, which the SNP pledged £30m for ahead of the Holyrood election, would not be introduced “half-heartedly” and would need to involve “meaningful” support
However she said discussions with arts industry leaders were still ongoing over what form it should take in Scotland.
The SNP’s election pledge was announced ahead of the manifesto launch in the wake of pressure from union leaders and campaigners to support a “basic income” for artists to help ease financial pressures and remove barriers in the cultural sector.
The Irish Government launched a permanent “Basic Income for the Arts” scheme – which has led to 2000 artists being paid around £280 a week – earlier this year after a three-year pilot project.
Ms McAllan told The Herald: “For me, this is about creating space to allow artists to pursue their craft.
“As culture secretary, I want people in the arts industry to know that I’m not someone who believes in the economic extraction of everything. I believe in art for art’s sake.
“But I also want to support artists to emerge and make a career out of their incredible talent, and not to feel that they have to suffer to pursue it, because they make a huge contribution to our national life.
“I have seen, both personally and professionally, how profoundly talented people struggle to make a career out of their craft.
“They spend their lives trying to pursue a career but have to take jobs in other areas to fund it and it almost begins to feel that their incredible talent is a hobby.
“I want us to support them to have a career, and for it to be something that contributes fulsomely to Scotland’s culture and economy.”
The minimum income scheme was one of the key culture commitments in the SNP manifesto, which included more than £140m worth of pledges for the arts sector.
Other includes a new national company for traditional music, which First First Minister John Swinney announced a consultation on this week, and a refurbishment of the People’s Palace and Winter Gardens in Glasgow, which the government committed £14m to this week.
The manifesto stated: “We believe pursuing a career in the arts and culture should be open to all, but we know that often comes at a considerable cost for equipment and the impact of unpredictable work.
“That’s why we will pilot a Scottish Artists Minimum Income, learning from the experience in Ireland, to give targeted support to a number of practising artists and creative workers to give them the space to develop their craft, thrive professionally, and contribute to Scotland’s cultural life.”
Ms McAllan added: “We are still at an early stage of this, but our ability to draw on the experience of the scheme in Ireland is helping us to progress.
“I have had a good discussion about the development of the policy with my creative industries leadership group.
“I am gathering views on what people need to see from this. I’m doing that virtually everywhere I go just now.
“I want to move quickly with this, but I want to make sure that it is done having gathered as broad a view about it as I possibly can.
“Ireland has invested considerably in its scheme. There has to be a meaningful amount involved in order for it work. I don’t think there is any merit in doing it half-heartedly.”
