Sam Fender donates twenty-five thousand pounds award winnings to grassroots live spaces

The artist accepting the award in the North East
The musician was awarded the honor in October in Newcastle

Sam Fender has given the complete sum of his twenty-five thousand pound Mercury Prize cash to the Music Venues Trust, which operates to preserve the Britain's small music venues.

The star was given the award on 16 October as his latest record the album was chosen as the top album of the last 12 months.

He has opted to give the cash to the trust, in appreciation of the vital role local spots had in his initial steps.

"I wouldn't be doing this success if it weren't for all the performances I played around the North East, and beyond, when I was beginning," stated Fender. "These spaces are legendary, but they are in difficulty."

Beginning in 2023, at least 150 of these locations have ceased operations – approximately one-sixth of the entire UK sector.

Over the past year, top acts including Pulp, the group Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all backed the Music Venues Trust in its initiatives to support the industry, by applying a minor surcharge to their ticket costs, which supports smaller concert halls.

Fender also joined in, raising in excess of ÂŁ100,000 on his live tour to help thirty-eight local spots across Britain.

The donation supported spaces that were facing possible closure due to difficulties stemming from flooding, fire incidents and family tragedies, as well as regulatory hurdles, court cases and sound issues.

Other venues obtained funding support in modernizing facilities and sound and lighting systems that positively impacted musicians and audiences.

"The concept that funds from shows in large arenas backs the independent spots, where it begins for musicians like me, is just sensible," Fender has commented.

The band Pulp on stage
The group are one of the many acts who contributed their Mercury Prize prize money to non-profits

Fender is among several artists to give his award funds to good deeds.

When Pulp received the prize in the year 1996 for their album the album, vocalist the singer stated that the group would donate their cash to the organization War Child.

During 2002, artist Ms Dynamite shared her prize among a few charities, like the children's charity and a Sickle Cell charity.

"And I donated a ÂŁ1,000 to my local community centre, to their gymnastics program, because I did gymnastics when I was younger and they lacked better apparatus," the artist shared with a publication.

In recent years, Ezra Collective gave their funds to the community center that nurtured their group, as well as other local music groups.

And the 1994 recipients they gave their winnings to a multiple sclerosis charity after a acquaintance was found to have the disease.

"Winning was quite enough," said vocalist the singer. "The cash was the bonus but we didn't need the cherry, because we had the honor. So our victory affected another person's life."

In the past week, the trust announced it had saved a couple of grassroots venues in that region, by transferring them to local control.

The Joiners in the city and The Croft in the city were acquired under the public acquisition program, which is funded by the arts council and music fans who purchase "shares" in the buildings.

Michael Martinez
Michael Martinez

A seasoned gaming analyst with over a decade of experience in casino strategy and digital entertainment trends.