Sam Fender contributes £25,000 award winnings to independent music venues

The singer accepting Mercury Prize in his hometown
He received the honor recently in Newcastle

The artist has given the complete sum of his twenty-five thousand pound award winnings to the trust for venues, which operates to protect the UK's independent live music spots.

He was given the prize on 16 October as his third album the album was chosen as the outstanding release of the last 12 months.

He has opted to donate the funds to the MVT, in appreciation of the crucial part small stages played in his early career.

"I personally would not have achieved this success if it hadn't been for all the performances I played around the region, and beyond, when I was beginning," stated Fender. "These spaces are iconic, but they are facing challenges."

Since the start of 2023, more than 150 of these spaces have permanently closed – approximately 16 percent of the total UK scene.

Recently, major artists including Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all supported the Music Venues Trust in its attempts to keep the scene afloat, by adding a small levy to their ticket costs, which goes to help independent venues.

He also participated, generating more than £100,000 on his 2024 arena tour to support numerous small stages across the UK.

The donation supported spaces that were confronting imminent closure due to issues stemming from floods, fires and bereavements, as well as regulatory hurdles, court cases and sound issues.

Some locations were granted monetary aid in improving amenities and sound and lighting systems that directly benefitted musicians and audiences.

"The notion that money from concerts in large arenas backs the smaller venues, where it kicks off for artists like me, is just logical," the star has commented.

The band Pulp in concert
The group are one example who contributed their Mercury Prize winnings to charity

The musician is far from the only musician to donate his honor funds to worthy causes.

In Pulp won the trophy in the year 1996 for their release their work, frontman Jarvis Cocker declared that the act would contribute their winnings to the charity War Child.

That year, rapper and singer Ms Dynamite split her prize between several charities, like the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell organization.

"I also donated a £1,000 to my local community centre, to their classes, because I practiced gymnastics when I was younger and they needed better apparatus," Ms Dynamite told the media.

Previously, Ezra Collective donated their funds to the community center that developed their band, alongside other grassroots music organisations.

Additionally the 1994 recipients M People contributed their award to a charity for MS after a friend was found to have the illness.

"Receiving the award was sufficient," stated vocalist Small. "The prize was the cherry on top but we didn't need the cherry, because we had the cake. So our winning touched another person's life."

Recently, the MVT revealed it had rescued a couple of grassroots venues in the South East, by placing them under local control.

One venue in Southampton and The Croft in that location were purchased under the community ownership program, which is supported by a national body and supporters who purchase "stakes" in the venues.

Ann Flores
Ann Flores

A tech journalist with over a decade of experience covering UK digital innovations and startup ecosystems.

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