Steve's post refers back to the Clearwater Revival thread. The issue for festivals is that the union has a scale which can drive them out of business.

I hate to sound like a "company man," especially at this time but it all comes down to economics. While scale is wonderful for those who are hired, it creates a situation in which fewer people will be hired for bigger bucks and the little guy who normally gets an honorarium gets pushed out.

When there is an endowment, the situation is different. Unfortunately, folkies rarely have that luxury.