Sam Fender, the North Shields-born musician whose star has risen meteorically in recent years, has made headlines again—this time for his generosity rather than his chart-topping hits. On November 11, 2025, it was announced that Fender donated the entire £25,000 Mercury Prize cash award he received for his acclaimed third album, People Watching, to the Music Venue Trust (MVT), a charity dedicated to supporting the UK’s struggling grassroots music venues.
Fender’s decision, rooted in gratitude for the venues that fostered his early career, comes at a critical moment for the live music scene in Britain. According to NME and BBC, the donation will bolster MVT’s ongoing mission to protect and secure the future of hundreds of small venues across the country. These venues, often the lifeblood of local music communities, have been under increasing threat: since the start of 2023, more than 150 have permanently closed their doors—about 16% of the entire sector.
In a statement accompanying the announcement, Fender reflected on his journey from local gigs to nationwide acclaim. “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, as reported by Billboard. “These venues are legendary, but they are struggling.”
The Mercury Prize, awarded annually for the best album by a British or Irish artist, is as much about prestige as it is about the £25,000 windfall. For many artists, the money covers the substantial costs of touring or recording. Yet Fender follows in the footsteps of previous winners who have chosen to pay it forward. According to BBC, Pulp donated their 1996 winnings to War Child, Ms Dynamite split her 2002 prize among several good causes, and Ezra Collective recently supported their local youth club and grassroots organizations with their award. “Winning was quite enough,” said M People’s Heather Small, who donated their 1994 prize to a multiple sclerosis charity. “The money was the cherry on top but we didn’t need the cherry, because we had the cake. So our winning touched somebody else’s life.”
Fender’s support for grassroots venues is not limited to this one-off gesture. His 2024 UK and Ireland arena tour incorporated a voluntary £1 ticket levy, raising over £100,000 for the MVT’s Liveline Fund, which directly supported 38 venues across England, Scotland, and Wales. According to NME, this money helped venues facing existential threats from floods, fires, bereavements, licensing issues, legal disputes, and noise complaints. Others received crucial upgrades to facilities and technical equipment, benefiting both artists and audiences.
The concept of a ticket levy—whereby a small portion of each ticket sold at large venues is redirected to support smaller, independent spaces—has gained traction among major acts. Coldplay, Katy Perry, Mumford & Sons, Pulp, Enter Shikari, and Ed Sheeran have all adopted the practice, with Coldplay pledging 10% of revenue from the UK leg of their Music of the Spheres tour to the MVT. As of spring 2025, UK tour ticket contributions had raised £500,000 for grassroots venues, and the campaign’s total has now climbed to nearly £4 million since its launch in May 2022.
The Royal Albert Hall, one of London’s most storied venues, became the first arena to formally commit to the £1 LIVE ticket levy in summer 2025. Meanwhile, Manchester’s City Council, in partnership with MVT, has established a new lifeline fund for its local grassroots venues, offering another beacon of hope for embattled spaces.
The Music Venue Trust’s chief executive and founder, Mark Davyd, praised Fender’s contribution as emblematic of the symbiotic relationship between artists and the venues that nurture them. “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,” Davyd told Billboard. “We are honored 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.”
The challenges facing grassroots venues are stark. A 2024 report by the MVT, cited by Billboard, revealed that these venues operated on razor-thin profit margins—just 0.48%—with nearly 44% reporting losses. In that year alone, 25 venues closed due to rising operational costs and shifting consumer habits. The closures are more than just statistics; they represent lost opportunities for emerging artists, diminished cultural vibrancy, and the erosion of local identity.
Yet there are glimmers of hope. The MVT recently saved two venues in southern England—The Joiners in Southampton and The Croft in Bristol—by bringing them into community ownership through the “Own Our Venues” initiative, supported by Arts Council England and music fans who buy shares in the properties. This grassroots, community-driven approach offers a potential blueprint for safeguarding other at-risk spaces.
Political support for these efforts is also growing. When asked by NME about the government’s stance on the £1 ticket levy, Prime Minister Keir Starmer was unequivocal: “I’m very supportive of this initiative, the £1 levy going back into grassroots [venues], because so much of our music is grassroots… 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 emphasized the importance of supporting venues both large and small, noting their role as entry points for young people experiencing live music for the first time.
Fender’s own connection to his roots was on full display at the Mercury Prize ceremony in Newcastle, where he led the crowd in a rousing chant of “Toon, Toon” and declared, “This region is the best region in the country.” His pride in his hometown and the venues that shaped him is unmistakable.
Beyond philanthropy, Fender’s star continues to rise. People Watching is the fastest-selling British album of 2025, and a deluxe edition featuring collaborations with Olivia Dean and Elton John is set for release on December 5. On November 15, a concert film capturing his massive 80,000-capacity show at London Stadium will premiere on YouTube, offering fans another chance to witness his electrifying live presence.
For Sam Fender, the journey from cramped local stages to sold-out arenas has come full circle. By giving back to the venues that made his career possible, he’s not just paying tribute to his past—he’s investing in the future of British music, one stage at a time.
