Until some forward thinking people started a celtic festival I wouldn't have said there was any real interest in folk music around here. A handfull of folks doesn't make a community or society of traditional interest large enough to be noticed or have any selfsustaining power. However, through the festival many people became educated because they were at least interested in supporting a local event, or open-minded enough to try something new (to them). Now those people know and love the tradition and we see them at concerts and other festivals and supporting the lifestyle that goes with it.

I agree that a certain liberalism seems to go with the picture but I wouldn't say it was universal.

There now seems to be ties to the folk communities elsewhere, as if we are exploring as folk missionaries.

There's alot of work to be done however. The local pubs either have no live entertainment or limited live entertainment. Dance mix type programmed pop/disco/rap/karioke/dj stuff still rules the roost in my little community. Only last month was the first celtic jam night in a pub (a monthly thing it is to be), and that was on a Wednesday when I couldn't attend. Once when I asked a pub if they would be interested in folk music they answered that they thought that's what they were doing in hiring a guy with an acoustic guitar, even though the material was pop music.

My point is that if we expect to maintain a folk music "industry", it has to be driven by grassroots activism. Festivals, workshops, schools, retreats, concert promoters, educators, etc.

The individual feeling of isolation can be partly overcome by even one other person willing to share the tradition on a committed and dedicated level. The greater sense of isolation perhaps needs a greater degree of selfpromotion. Either way, if we don't act it won't live.

Our little festival and celtic college has created a folk society of sorts here now, but I'm not so naive to think that they wouldn't die without the prime movers and shakers with the original vision. I hope that won't be the case.

Peace, Mooh.