Mercury Prize shines global spotlight on Newcastle and the North East

New figures have showed the region’s economy received a boost of more than £1.4 million by hosting the 2025 Mercury Prize.

A new report commissioned and published by Newcastle City Council has highlighted the huge impact the awards ceremony and fringe activity had on the city and the wider region.

Local hero Sam Fender took home the top prize at the prestigious ceremony at the Utilita Arena on October 16, that was broadcast by BBC Music and was also streamed to millions worldwide.

A fringe programme also delivered cultural activities to 8,367 people, providing a stage to local creatives and inspiration to young people across the region. Its impact and benefits spread beyond Newcastle and into towns, communities and venues right across the North East.

Almost 8,000 visitors travelled to Mercury events across the region, generating a combined spend of £874,724 and adding an estimated £552,868 GVA to the regional economy – supporting the equivalent of 13 jobs.

As part of the activity around the main awards, 35 local people also gained valuable work experience while 68 children took part in Mini Mercury.

The Mini Mercury Choir saw the school-aged children participate in a series of music workshops culminating in them forming a choir to perform Sam Fender’s People Watching hit.

They performed at St James Park, the Mercury Fringe Event at the Tyneside Cinema and finally at Newcastle Central Station as the LNER special Mercury Express Train arrived into the city with judges, BPI members and some of the artists and labels.

Cllr Karen Kilgour, Leader of Newcastle City Council, has hailed the impact of the awards and hopes it will return to Newcastle in 2026.

She said: “Hosting the Mercury Prize was about more than music – it was about showcasing the incredible talent and culture of the Newcastle city region.

“We had already shown with the MOBOs that we knew how to host a worldwide event and us Geordies delivered once again with the Mercury Prize.

“It was more than the Prize itself, the wider Fringe events that were led by Generator and which created such excitement across the entire region were just as important.

“I want to thank the BPI for having such confidence in Newcastle and all our partners who were involved. The figures speak for themselves, whether that be boosting our economy or providing legitimate career opportunities for our residents, the Mercury Prize and fringe events had an incredible impact.

“I want every young person growing up here to be able to reach their full potential, and that includes in the music industry. I am proud that we are establishing Newcastle as the cultural heartbeat of the North and that ambition is not slowing down. I can’t wait for what 2026 has to come.”

North East Mayor, Kim McGuinness celebrated the engagement with people across the region, saying:  

“The North East has proven time and time again that we know how to throw a party, and are capable of putting on memorable events. But bringing the Mercury Prize here was bigger than the star-studded nominees – it was about inspiring and showcasing a new generation of talent in our region. 

“I would love to see one of the thousands of people who performed at the fringe events, went along to a workshop or were in the crowd watching Sam Fender take the prize home to follow in his footsteps and be a future Mercury Prize nominee themselves.” 

The financial impact of hosting the Prize includes a combined visitor spend of £874,724, and £552,868 in Gross Value Added to the regional economy.

The Prize, which recognises the best new British and Irish music by celebrating the albums of the year, also reached a global audience figure of 1.6 billion which includes local, national and global media coverage, extensive social media engagement, and broadcast audiences.

2025 was the first year the Mercury Prize had left London with the move to Newcastle supported by Newcastle City Council and The North East Combined Authority.

A programme of Fringe events took place across the North East which was led by the Newcastle-based music development agency Generator, funded by the city council and combined authority.

Dr Jo Twist OBE, BPI CEO, and YolanDa Brown OBE DL, artist and BPI Chair, jointly said:

“This report shows how music’s power to bring people and communities together can also deliver significant economic and cultural benefits. The Mercury Prize 2025, with its engaging fringe activity, was a joyful occasion celebrating brilliant albums by British and Irish artists and embraced by fans and residents to give the city and region a huge boost. Its success points to how future collaborations can be made to work to both showcase powerful human artistry and enable partners to fully realise the benefits of being involved as they look to create a lasting impact.

“We again thank all our valued partners – Newcastle City Council, The North East Combined Authority, Generator, BBC Music, Utilita Arena, Adidas, Greggs, Fenwick, and LNER – who together brought the campaign to life to make last year’s event such a memorable one, and we look forward to building on this impact when we announce our plans for Prize in 2026.”

Mick Ross, CEO at Generator said: “Generator led the work to bring the Mercury Prize to Newcastle, and we were determined that it wouldn’t stop at a single awards night. By designing and delivering the fringe programme, we made sure this moment created real opportunities - for local artists, for young people, and for the wider music economy.

“We’ve seen time and again, from Sam Fender’s shows to the MOBO Awards and now the Mercury Prize - when you invest properly in music and creative infrastructure, the economic return follows. This is about shifting the centre of gravity and proving the North has the infrastructure, talent and ambition to deliver at a world-class level.”