In a powerful act of support for the UK's live music ecosystem, singer-songwriter Sam Fender has donated his entire £25,000 Mercury Prize winnings to help struggling grassroots music venues.
A Gesture Rooted in Gratitude
The 31-year-old artist from North Shields was crowned the winner of the prestigious award at a ceremony held in his hometown of Newcastle in October 2025. This marked the first time the event had ever taken place outside London. Fender won for his critically acclaimed third album, People Watching.
Announcing the donation, Fender stated that he wouldn't be where he is today without the small stages that supported him early in his 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."
The Precarious State of Grassroots Venues
The beneficiary of this generous gift is the Music Venue Trust (MVT), a charity that represents hundreds of the UK's small music spaces. The organisation has highlighted the severe financial pressures facing the sector.
According to the trust, grassroots venues operated on a razor-thin profit margin of just 0.48% in 2024, with more than one in four venues reporting a loss. The situation has led to a wave of closures, with over 150 smaller venues forced to shut down since 2023 due to rising costs and the lingering effects of the pandemic.
A Growing Movement of Artist Support
Fender's donation is not his first effort to support this cause. Through his 2024 arena tour, he previously helped to raise more than £100,000, which was distributed to support 38 smaller venues across England, Scotland, and Wales.
He is part of a growing movement of artists who are giving back. Other major acts like Katy Perry, Coldplay, Pulp, and Enter Shikari have adopted a 'grassroots levy', adding small amounts to their ticket prices to generate donations for the sector. Larger venues, including London's Royal Albert Hall, have also introduced similar schemes.
Mark Davyd, founder and chief executive of the Music Venue Trust, called Fender's gesture "an incredible gesture". He said it demonstrates that artists "absolutely understand how vital grassroots music venues are to their careers and to their communities."
Davyd added, "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 beat a strong shortlist including Fontaines DC and FKA Twigs to claim the 2025 Mercury Prize. His second album, Seventeen Going Under, was also nominated for the award in 2022.
