I agree with a lot of what has already been said and don't find genre pigeon holes (folk, jazz, pop, classical instrument) that useful as most vibrant instruments embrace them all and creativity transcends them. The accordion is a very young instrument and historic folk roots aren't a limit to it evolving into a superb classical instrument. Many other older instruments have had such a journey. As Walker says, this evolution is gathering great pace across Europe.
From personal experience playing abroad in Germany, France, Slovenia, Italy etc. (not the accordion!) you get great numbers and age diversity in audiences in cities but also in the most remote places. You can also be really daring in your choice of music as long as there is good variety. There are often plenty of babies screaming too! Conversely in the UK audiences are mostly lovely oldies and tend to appreciate a more conservative choice of music.
This is really heartening to hear as live music inspires young people to take up instruments in a way that recorded music and Youtube doesn't.My own introduction to the accordion as something more than a danceband/folk dance instrument was in 2001 when a locally well known and respected pianist/organist in Siracuse, Sicily, played classical pieces on the piano accordion at a free concert in a public hall and who was obliged to return several times to the call "Bis! Bis!" from an enthalled, and very mixed, audience.
From personal experience playing abroad in Germany, France, Slovenia, Italy etc. (not the accordion!) you get great numbers and age diversity in audiences in cities but also in the most remote places. You can also be really daring in your choice of music as long as there is good variety. There are often plenty of babies screaming too! Conversely in the UK audiences are mostly lovely oldies and tend to appreciate a more conservative choice of music.