Bringing the banjo back to life: The field of Dutch independent folk music as participatory culture

In this paper we investigate the factors underlying the social production of independent folk music (indie-folk) in the Netherlands. By studying the production, distribution and reception of indie-folk music through in-depth interviewing, we argue that the production of indie-folk is effected by the shift towards ‘participatory culture’ brought forward by the rise of the Internet and Web 2.0. This is observed, firstly, in how digitization helped musicians to self-develop a career in music business. Secondly, from the part of both musicians and gatekeepers, it can be observed in how participatory culture links with their preference for participatory aesthetics by which they aim to decrease the distance between creator, promotor, and user. Thirdly, from the part of the audience, it is observed in how active fans contribute to their field by self-organizing small-scale events, enabling them to establish (trans)local scenes and to reframe music as a social experience. By investigating the logics behind these musician, distributor and fan-based practices, this paper aims to contribute to existing sociological research on the impact digitization has had on changes in both the production, distribution, and aesthetics of popular music.