What would it do to a cost of a hamburger if all the employees at a mcdonalds had to be flown in from several states away?

(well actually mcdonalds depends heavily upon mexicans and others from far away already however, they Lower costs unlike imported musicians which will drive costs up)

Why should we let this sort of thinking make the price of access to folk music impossible for so many?

Its sort of like art that is local is never as good as art that is far away where the grass is greener.

The problem self perpetuates. When venues put all their funds into outside far away super stars there is less money for the development and establishment of local talent.

Perhaps one way to do this is as in the baseball league system. They run teams at all levels not only the major league. If venues operated at several levels and perhaps even different locations a local folk scene would be nourished rather than the bank accounts of a few. This could be funded by contributions from the artist matched by the venue operators and by those who benefit via food and drink sales- breweries and the like.

Conrad