Where is Folk Music Heading? A New Survey for Folk Alliance International

Slover Linett has done considerable research on classical music audiences and innovations over the years. But other kinds of music are also vital, evolving art-forms, with their own communities of creators and consumers. So we’ve been delighted to partner with Folk Alliance International, the Kansas City-based service organization for the folk music field in the US, Canada, and beyond, to conduct the first inclusive study of folk and folk-adjacent musicians, producers, venue managers, festival organizers, and other stakeholders. Our analysis of the online survey data revealed profound generational differences, suggesting that a broadening of folk music as a genre and as a community may be underway. We also found that the field lacks a clear picture of the audiences who attend live folk performances and listen via media, pointing to the need for future research among audiences.

Slover Linett’s Tanya Treptow presented these and other findings to the Folk Alliance board at the organization’s conference in Montréal in early 2019 and led a discussion of implications and opportunities for the field.

To learn more about this study, email Dr. Treptow.