I think the "scene" is more tolerant these days - from what I can see of it - than it was 50 years ago when I first performed at a folk club. If my memory isn't playing me false, there was fairly intense competition to get a floor spot and, if you weren't of a reasonable standard, you weren't given one again.

I recall playing as a comparative beginner at Leeds University Folk Club around 1964 or 1965. I didn't play very well. I thought I'd pulled it off and got by, only to be told in no uncertain terms by the club organiser at the end of the evening that I was "very lucky" - i.e. I had to up my game if I wanted another spot there at some future date. Some years later, when I ran the BBC Folk Club ("Clanfolk") for a spell, I certainly wasn't as in-your-face as the Leeds MC, but there was still a glut of floor-singers and the poorer performers got fewer chances to play, on the whole. I recall one evening, one of my fellow Clanfolk MCs introducing each floor spot with the words, "And now, ladies and gentlemen - yet another white, male, right-handed guitarist..." to the amusement of all concerned!

I think we're a little gentler now, though at the monthly Bull session in Ditchling referred to by Rob in his post above, if I'm called upon to sing something, Ian Chisholm (co-host) usually introduces me by saying, "Now for something entirely inappropriate." But we're old mates from Clanfolk days!

The best place to get good, honest criticism is to get together with one or two really good musicians and play together - either in a band situation or in the home - where you can be fairly free and open with each other and not get embarrassed. A singaround is probably not the ideal environment for that kind of critical exchange.