Sam Fender tour raises over £100,000 for local music venues across the UK
Over £100,000 raised from a Sam Fender tour has now been distributed to local music venues across the UK.
Music Venue Trust, the charity which represents hundreds of UK grassroots music venues, has confirmed that funds raised from Sam Fender’s arena tour at the end of 2024 have now been distributed to support 38 independent venues across England, Scotland, and Wales.
The package, worth over £100,000, has provided urgent emergency assistance alongside essential improvement grants.
.jpeg?trim=0,0,0,0&crop=&width=640&quality=65)
Created by Music Venue Trust and live music advocates Save Our Scene, the fund is used to distribute funding to grassroots venues, artists and promoters with financial support raised by contributions from arena and stadium ticket sales.
A total of 19 venues have been supported through the Emergency Hardship Relief Fund and Emergency Response Team - a lifeline package that steps in to prevent imminent closures regarding issues such as licensing issues, legal disputes, noise complaints and sudden impact issues such as floods and fires.
Another 19 venues received over £50,000 in direct improvement grants, enabling upgrades to facilities, technical equipment, and infrastructure.
Speaking about the news Sam 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.”
North East venues supported by the campaign include Little Buildings and The Globe in Newcastle, as well as Teesside’s NE Volume Music Bar.
Mark Davyd, CEO of Music Venue Trust, 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.”
The tour, which started in Dublin, ran throughout the first half of December 2024 and was supposed to culminate with a huge homecoming show at Newcastle’s Utilita Arena, although this was cancelled due to a vocal injury.