In my non-folkie life I am a craftworker, I cut wood into shapes. I am also (like the folk world) one of a small number who does it full time and earn my living from it. I do it the same way as full-time folk professionals do it, I follow the money. I have a permanent pitch in York where I cut kid's names. I can do a lot more than that, in fact I get offered lots of other work. Bottom line is I do that because I can earn a living doing it.

Now I would love to take my high value stuff round festivals and boutique craft fairs, I don't baecause I can't earn a living that way, cutting names ona street in York I can.

I am also (like professional folk musicians) good at what I do, I have a fund of stories to keep my queue happy and I have my public persona (which has taken a lot of years to perfect).

How does this apply to making a living out of folk? It's the same set of skills and the same hard headed realism. The money's in Haven Holiday Camps? Good luck to you and well done for finding an opening! Old Peoples Homes, school's workshops? Ditto. No one is owed a living and being a freelance anything is hard work and those who make it succeed deserve their wages.

If the clubs can't afford what they need to make a wage then either they have to find other venues or they cease to make their living from the clubs. If they can do that, then again I say good luck to them. They'll have done the work and found a way that works for them but please don't whinge and say "our club can't afford them" the truth is also that they may not be able to afford your club! (Any club organisers here make a living out of their club? Of course not, you don't have to, it's not your living)

Steve