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The musician donates his £25k prize cash award to independent live spaces

Sam Fender receiving the award in his hometown
Sam Fender received the honor in October in Newcastle

The star has donated the full amount of his £25k Mercury Prize prize money to the trust for venues, which works to save the UK's small music venues.

The star was presented with the award on mid-October as his new release the album was named the top album of the past year.

Fender has opted to give the cash to the Music Venues Trust, in appreciation of the crucial part local spots had in his initial steps.

"I personally would not have achieved my current career if it weren't for all the gigs I did around the region, and further afield, when I was beginning," said the artist. "These spaces are renowned, but they are struggling."

From early 2023 onward, over 150 of these venues have ceased operations – about 16% of the entire UK sector.

In the last year, top acts including Pulp, the group Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all supported the MVT in its initiatives to help venues survive, by adding a small levy to their ticket prices, which goes to help smaller concert halls.

Fender also took part, generating more than £100,000 on his live tour to assist thirty-eight local spots across Britain.

The donation supported spaces that were confronting potential shutdown due to challenges arising from floods, blazes and personal losses, as well as regulatory hurdles, court cases and noise complaints.

Other venues were granted financial assistance in improving amenities and technical equipment that positively impacted musicians and fans.

"The concept that revenue from concerts in big venues supports the local stages, where it kicks off for performers like me, is just logical," Fender has stated.

The band Pulp performing
Pulp are among the artists who contributed their Mercury Prize winnings to non-profits

Fender is far from the only musician to contribute his honor funds to charitable organizations.

When the band received the award in the mid-90s for their album the album, frontman Jarvis Cocker stated that the group would donate their winnings to the non-profit the charity.

During 2002, rapper and singer she divided her bounty among a few organizations, like the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell charity.

"I also contributed a thousand pounds to the center, to their gymnastics program, because I practiced gymnastics when I was younger and they lacked new equipment," she explained to outlets.

In recent years, the band gave their prize money to the local youth club that nurtured their act, as well as other local music groups.

Additionally the 1994 recipients M People contributed their winnings to a MS organization after a close contact was diagnosed the illness.

"Winning was ample," remarked vocalist Small. "The prize was the cherry on top but we could do without the bonus, because we had the honor. So our victory touched somebody else's life."

Recently, the trust revealed it had protected a couple of local spots in south-east England, by bringing them into community ownership.

One venue in Southampton and The Croft in that location were bought under the Own Our Venues program, which is funded by the arts council and supporters who buy "ownership units" in the buildings.

Written by

John Rodriguez

A tech enthusiast and educator passionate about integrating digital tools into modern learning environments.

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