Celebrated musician Sam Fender has donated his £25,000 Mercury Prize winnings to the Music Venue Trust (MVT) , an organisation that works to protect independent music venues in the UK .
” I owe a debt to all the small stages that shaped my career. These venues are legendary, but they’re struggling right now,” Fender said after winning the best album of the year award for his third album, People Watching .
Since 2023, more than 150 small music venues in the UK have closed permanently , equating to around 16% of the sector.
Fender previously raised over £100,000 to support 38 independent venues during its 2024 tour. This support provided a breather for venues at risk of closure due to floods, fires, legal disputes and noise complaints.
Famous names like Coldplay, Ed Sheeran and Pulp have also continued to support the independent music scene with small contributions from concert tickets in recent years .
