I've tried a number ways to say this politely but I can't think of any other way - folk audiences are stingy they want everything for nothing. Fine - but at the end of the day all that will be left will be singarounds. 'Professionals' are likely to fade out because they, like a lot of the audiences, may want a mortgage and a family- how they would afford one at the moment is a mystery to me.
If a singer goes to a Building society and says I may get X amount next year but it depends on how much more than a basic guarantee I get - in other words, the singer probably can't predict his/her earnings for the next 12 months let alone any further. What chance would they have of getting out of the Building Society without anything but the sound of laughter ringing in their ears is beyond me. Do we deserve the musicians we get? Do we look after them?
chris