Sam Fender has donated his Mercury Prize winnings to the Music Venue Trust (MVT), while highlighting the importance of “struggling” small gig spaces in the UK.
The North Shields singer-songwriter won this year’s award for his acclaimed third album, ‘People Watching’, beating records by the likes of Pulp, Wolf Alice, Fontaines D.C. and CMAT.
Today (Tuesday November 11), it has been announced that Fender has donated his £25,000 cash prize to the MVT, which represents hundreds of the UK’s grassroots music venues.
The funds will support the charity’s ongoing work to protect and secure the future of such live music spaces across the nation.
In a statement, Fender recognised the vital role that grassroots venues had played in his early career.
“I wouldn’t be doing what I am doing today if it wasn’t for all the gigs I played around the North East, and beyond, when I was starting out,” he said. “These venues are legendary, but they are struggling.”
Mark Davyd, CEO and founder of the MVT, added: “This is an incredible gesture by Sam, demonstrating once again that artists absolutely understand how vital grassroots music venues are to their careers and to their communities.
“We are honoured to accept this donation and will ensure every penny of it makes a direct difference to the campaign to keep live music at the heart of our towns and cities.”
Fender’s recent UK and Ireland tour dates saw him donate £1 from each ticket sold to the Music Venue Trust. His run of arena shows in 2024 raised more than £100,000 for the charity’s Liveline Fund to support 38 grassroots venues across England, Scotland and Wales.
Speaking previously, the musician explained: “It’s brilliant to see that the money raised from the arena tour is making a real difference to so many venues.
“The grassroots circuit has been decimated over the last 10 years or so, and the idea that money from shows in big venues supports the smaller venues, where it all starts for musicians like me, is just common sense.”
First announced by the MVT in May 2022, the campaign went on to raise £2.3million in the first year through a series of donations and investments. That figure now stands at almost £4million.
Over the summer, the historic Royal Albert Hall in London became the first arena to commit to the £1 LIVE ticket levy. It was recently confirmed that grassroots music venues in Manchester can now apply for the City Council’s new lifeline fund, organised in partnership with the MVT.
Elsewhere, other major acts like Coldplay, Katy Perry, Mumford & Sons, Pulp and Enter Shikari have adopted the levy and donated a portion of ticket sales to help save grassroots venues. In the spring, it was reported that UK tour ticket contributions had raised £500,000 for grassroots spaces.
A report published earlier this year found that over 90 per cent of music fans were supportive of the £1 ticket levy, amid the MVT’s ongoing “fight for this across the industry and at the government level”.
NME asked Prime Minister Keir Starmer if he was in support of the levy this summer, when he spoke to us about “protecting creativity” in the UK.
- READ MORE: UK grassroots venues suffering from “the complete collapse of touring” – here’s how you can help
“I’m very supportive of this initiative, the £1 levy going back into grassroots [venues], because so much of our music is grassroots,” Starmer responded, after the government backed a levy on shows at arena level and above last year.
He acknowledged that smaller, independent establishments were “where a lot of people access their music”, adding: “It’s obviously where a lot of musicians start off, and therefore I’m hugely supportive of it. I’d like to see it expanded even more, but I want to support it in any way we can.”
Starmer continued: “We need to support venues – large and small – across the country. I’ll be looking at what we can do in order to give them the chance not just to survive, but to thrive. There are so many different types of venues in different places where artists have performed for the first time, and go on to do amazing things.
“But also it’s where young people in particular access their first live gig. It’s likely to be the one nearest where they live – then that gives them an appetite to go to see more and more live music. We need more live music and we need to support it.”
You can make a donation to the Music Venue Trust here.
When accepting the Mercury Prize in his hometown of Newcastle, Fender led the audience in a chant of “Toon, Toon”, before saying: “This region is the best region in the country.”
Meanwhile, Sam Fender has announced a new concert film titled Live At London Stadium, capturing his huge show in the capital this summer.