Sam Fender’s tour funds save 38 UK grassroots music venues
Sam Fender’s £1 ticket levy from his People Watching Tour has raised over £100,000 to help save 38 struggling grassroots music venues across the UK.
Funds raised from Sam Fender’s recent arena tour have provided crucial support to 38 grassroots music venues struggling to survive in the UK.
The Seventeen Going Under singer, alongside artists including Coldplay, Katy Perry, and Mumford and Sons, implemented a £1 ticket levy on their tours to help protect grassroots music venues. The initiative was launched by the Music Venue Trust (MVT) following a disastrous 2023, when a record 125 grassroots venues shut down - averaging two closures per week.
According to MVT, over £100,000 from Fender’s tour has been allocated as urgent emergency aid and improvement grants. 19 venues received emergency funding to prevent imminent closures caused by issues such as licensing disputes, noise complaints, financial crises, and unexpected disasters such as floods and fires.
Another 19 venues were granted more than £50,000 to upgrade facilities and equipment benefiting artists, staff, and audiences.
Fender, 31, said : “It’s brilliant to see that the money raised from the arena tour is making a real difference to so many venues.
“The grassroots circuit has been decimated over the last 10 years or so and the idea that money from shows in big venues supports the smaller venues, where it all starts for musicians like me, is just common sense. These places are legendary.”
Venues receiving support include Paper Dress Vintage in London, The White Hotel in Manchester, Clwb Ifor Bach in Cardiff, and Glasgow’s Sub Club.
Mark Davyd, CEO of Music Venue Trust, added: “This remarkable contribution from Sam Fender, his management, and his team has created a real and lasting impact on the grassroots music ecosystem.
“These venues are the places where artists like Sam take their first steps, where local communities come together, and where live music truly begins. By investing directly into their future, we are strengthening the entire live music sector.”
The £1 levy, inspired by similar schemes in European football leagues, gained government backing in November 2024 after campaign calls began earlier that year. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer expressed strong support, emphasising the importance of grassroots venues as essential starting points for musicians.
Meanwhile, Fender recently announced plans to take a break to focus on his voice before returning with new music next year.
He said at his People Watching Tour gig in Manchester last month: "I'm gonna go away at the end of this lot of shows and sort my s*** out and get my voice as good as possible and make another new album and f*** loads of new tunes next year."
