In a November 1995 article, Billboard magazine listed 15 venues around the U.S. which are of wide renown in the folk community. These clubs include The Ark, the Bottom Line in New York City, and McGonigel's Mucky Duck in Houston, among others. Music festivals Festivals are another important place for folk artists to perform. They are held by interest groups who want to bring in both insiders and outsiders, and the commercial element is downplayed. Festivals are a place where the artists typically will be seen and heard by a large number of people, at least some of whom may have never heard the artists before.
Festivals are a prime site for community-building, too.
He added that the importance of the institution to the music community is underscored by the fact that this community-building takes place in a structured, commercial environment where fans pay for tickets and the artists are paid to perform. You might want to read about the various media that focus on folk music, including magazines, radio programs, and online media.