In mid-February, the Mercury Prize announced its return to Newcastle for a second consecutive year. To anyone who was there in 2025, this came as no surprise. You simply had to be there.
The Mercury Prize is awarded by an independent panel of industry judges and celebrates the album format as the ultimate artistic statement, transcending genre and trends. Its past winners include English Teacher, Ezra Collective, Little Simz, and last year’s home winner, Sam Fender.
This is one of the most prestigious prizes to honour British and Irish music and was hosted in London for decades. Last year, it set foot outside the capital for the first time ever, which is truly significant not just for artists and fans, but the industry as a whole.
After experiencing the ceremony last year, the excitement in the arena was palpable. Even before the evening properly kicked off, some of the nominees and other artists were walking among the crowd, taking pictures and chatting with fans. It was not an exclusive industry event, but more as if the Geordies were saying: this is our home, we welcome you with open arms, and we will show you the best time possible.
What made 2025’s ceremony so different was that even though parts of the industry were there, the city really took over the event. When Sam Fender was announced as the winner for his album ‘People Watching’, the arena erupted in a way otherwise only experienced in football stadiums. It felt like an emotional and intimate triumph. The result clearly moved the audience, and it felt like it was more than just a win for the artist as an individual, but for Newcastle and its surrounding towns. This was a moment when local talent was recognised on the big stage for the hard work they put in, surrounded by their community and family.
Beyond the evening of the ceremony, the region hosted a week-long fringe programme of events, talks, and performances. For the local communities, this meant gaining unique access to a national cultural spectacle, and not just to watch, but to be a major part of it. Overall, the North East drew about 8,000 visitors to the region and generated an estimated £1.4 million in economic and cultural value. For a place that has been trying to level up on the national cultural map, such numbers speak volumes.
The Mercury Prize returns to Newcastle at a moment when the city and region have been working to establish themselves deliberately as a recognised hub for music. The local music scene has always been incredible, and it is about time Newcastle was seen as more than just a speck on the music map. The prize and its return reflect this ambition well and become a significant catalyst for bigger things in the North.
The sentiment became even more evident when Sam Fender donated his prize money to the Music Venue Trust. It is a gesture of recognition for the grassroots venues that have shaped so many artists and given them platforms to start their careers.
Evidently, London is the centre of the British music industry. It has the labels, the press, the tastemakers, and the funding. The unspoken logic for artists beyond the capital has always been that to be taken seriously, you eventually have to make the move. The move up north for the Mercury Prize finally challenges that logic.
In partnership with Newcastle City Council and Generator - the North East’s music industry development body - the aim for this year’s ceremony is to expand access even further and open more pathways for northern artists as leaders of the national conversation.
The prize has always been a launchpad for newer artists. Hosting a moment like this outside of the capital sends a clear message: the talent, infrastructure, and especially the supporting audiences can exist anywhere.
Christine Soloch
Image: @mercuryprize Instagram