I don't see "academic elitism" as a problem - every academic involved in folk music I've ever met has been uncondescendingly enthusiastic about passing on what they know to all comers. Passing knowledge on is their day job, so they think about how to do it and retain their sensitivity to younger people's situations and interests.

The real dead weight is amateurs who learned everything they know decades ago and have no memory of or interest in what it's like to be new to traditional music.