I have made a fine living as a pro in the UK for all of my working life. Back in the 60's/70's/80's there was a large circuit of venues, and as we are blessed with a small country, many gigs were within an hours drive of each other. As the circuit began to decline the CD began to rise and by making my own I increased my income for some years. Then, as the circuit declined further, the web began to take off and my website became a great sales point, generating income without leaving home.
I don't think anyone will live a similar peripatetic life for the next forty odd years, as the cost of transport and the restrictions that will be placed upon it for environmental reasons will make the life on the road well nigh impossible. There is also the fact that we were doing it for the first time, working for a young audience of our peers who have grown old with us, and that made it exciting.
The scene now is becoming dominated in the UK by festivals and the bread and butter gigs are going. The young performers don't seem to want to start new venues and pay their dues as we did. Also the audience has now become the act, as in sessions. Many Mudcatters seem to positively dislike the idea of a "guest" dominated folk club. What they call a folk club is something I don't recognise.
However, all of this is natural as time moves on and soon it will all be history and the job of "folk singer" will be like the job of a blacksmith, or a variety artist, something to see in a Heritage museum, something that had a golden age in a time past.
The music, of course, will go on and on.
I and my contemporaries have been very lucky.
Thanks all.