‘A passport into a community'

This chapter introduces the socio-historical context for the growth of community-based learning of traditional music in Scotland. I consider the backdrop of the modern ‘folk revival’, particularly the instrumental revivals of the 1970s, and parallel changes in arts policy. These helped create the conditions from which groups such as GFW began to ‘take off’ as part of a ‘post-revival’ phase. The expansion of traditional music in formal education settings is contrasted with those which foreground social learning. Locality is seen as important to the identities of community-based organisations such as GFW and the role of tutors is introduced. Finally, I show how GFW has developed in relation to the wider stylistic community of practice.