Sam Fender’s tour raised £100,000 to boost grassroots music venues

Sam Fender’s 2024 arena tour raised more than £100,000 for grassroots music venues.

The Music Venue Trust (MVT) said the funds, distributed through its Liveline Fund which sees a contribution made to small venues from the ticket sales of large-scale gigs, have been given out to 38 independent venues across England, Scotland and Wales.

Singer Fender 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.”

The trust credited the 31-year-old as an “early adopter” of the grassroots levy, which was co-created with Save Our Scene.

It said the money raised had supported 19 venues through the emergency hardship relief fund and emergency response team, which aims to prevent imminent closures, addressing licensing issues, financial crises, recovery from events such as floods and fires, and other incidents.

A further 19 venues received more than £50,000 in direct improvement grants, allowing them to upgrade facilities, equipment and infrastructure.

Venues to have received funding include London’s Paper Dress Vintage, Manchester’s The White Hotel, The Hunter Club in Bury St Edmunds, and Clwb Ifor Bach in Cardiff.

The Hunter Club called the support “a game changer”, while the operators of Paper Dress Vintage, which saw a new mixing desk installed, added: “Our trade relies on us being able to put on music and our mixing desk, which was irreparably damaged recently, is absolutely central to all this activity.

“Having this new, protected system in place will make us more resilient and protect us from future damage and loss of earnings.”

Mark Davyd, chief executive of the MVT, said: “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.”

Fender, who is best known for songs such as Seventeen Going Under, Hypersonic Missiles and People Watching, performed at venues including London’s The O2, Birmingham’s Utilita Arena and Manchester’s Co-Op Live on the tour last year.