Here’s a positive news story to bring a smile to your face on a grey autumn day: Sam Fender is to donate his £25,000 Mercury Prize winnings to the Music Venue Trust.
The 31-year-old North East singer-songwriter won the prize for his third album People Watching last month and has decided to give the prize money to the organisation that works to preserve small venues in the UK. In a statement, Fender said: “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 MVT’s CEO, Mark Davyd, welcomed 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.”
Sam Fender — Arm’s Length (Official Lyric Video) – YouTube
It’s not the first time Fender has made a significant donation to the MVT. He’s one of the artists who has added a small levy to their ticket prices and donated it to the organisation – his 2024 arena tour raised more than £100,000 alone. Other artists who have taken part in the voluntary scheme include Coldplay, Pulp, Katy Perry, Enter Shikari and Ed Sheeran.
That money is crucial as grassroots venues in the UK are under threat as never before. Since the start of 2023, more than 150 have closed for doors for good, a figure that equates to 16% of the whole sector.
The MVT’s work is crucial in preserving the rest and just last week it announced some good news – two that had been under threat, The Joiners in Southampton and the Croft in Bristol have both been taken into community ownership, thereby securing their futures.
Of course, Fender isn’t the first Mercury winner to give their prize to charity. The 2023 winners Ezra Collective gave their £25,000 to the local youth club that nurtured their band, as did Roni Size way back in 1997.
In 2002 Ms Dynamite spread her winnings around to a number of good causes, including the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell charity and in 1996 Pulp signed their Mercury cheque over to War Child.
