In a very favourable review of Radio 2's "Radio Ballads" published in today's Observer,Miranda Sawyer makes the interesting point that "the project's insistence of defined topics ...would be rejected by lottery or the arts council as not inclusive enough."
In a seperate story the same paper their is a report on MI5's monitoring of Ewan MacColl because of his Communist party membership.
Now I have always tended to the view that the C.P.'S most enduring & influential legacy is the idea that egalitarian aims & objectives are best pursued by elitist policies & practices.
Some would argue that MacColl's approach to Folk Music reflects that belief.
All of which is a starting off point for asking Whether you think Folk is or ought to be exclusive or quite the reverse?