Sam Fender has donated his £25,000 Mercury Prize winnings to the Music Venue Trust

Sam Fender has donated the £25,000 Mercury Prize winnings for his album 'People Watching' to the Music Venue Trust (MVT) to support their efforts in safeguarding music venues across the UK.

Fender acknowledged the impact of grassroots venues on his career, stating, "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. These venues are legendary, but they are struggling."

The Music Venue Trust represents hundreds of grassroots music venues in the UK, which operated on a slim profit margin of just 0.48% in 2024, with nearly 44% experiencing losses.

Mark Davyd, CEO and founder of Music Venue Trust, expressed gratitude for Fender's donation, saying, "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."

Previously, Sam Fender's 2024 arena tour raised over £100,000 for MVT's Liveline Fund, aiding 38 grassroots venues throughout England, Scotland, and Wales.