Look at any festival, there will be a list of sponsers. Look at BramptonLive, petition to council to keep it's funding. Yes, if your idea of folk music is three men in a pub it don't need owt else (unless the pub is owned by Smirhs, in which case tough luck).

Every rock tour of any size is sponsored.

There is money around IF you can play the "game" and knowing how to do that is crucial. Andy Dixon kept Remould Theatre (creators of "The Northern Trawl") going for years because he knew what to do. There is money to keep the VWML growing, to develop C# House, to do other work. If you think that folk music is "of the people etc" then it may seem irrelevant and the same group of you can sing "Pleasant and Delightful" ad infinitum in the pub of your choice until it all withers and dies.

If you think the EFDSS is irrelevant then the appointment of a top flight arts administrator is bad news because she'll make things happen and the Society a player again.

BTW - Molecatchers Apprentice, If you believe in what you say you could at least have the guts to put your name to your posts.

Steve Ogden