Sam Fender donates twenty-five thousand pounds cash award to independent music venues

The star has donated the complete sum of his twenty-five thousand pound honor winnings to the MVT, which works to save the United Kingdom's grassroots live music spots.

Fender was awarded the prize on mid-October as his latest record People Watching was named the top album of the previous year.

Fender has opted to hand the money over to the Music Venues Trust, in recognition of the vital role grassroots venues had in his initial steps.

"I personally would not have achieved this success if it hadn't been for all the shows I played around the North East, and further afield, when I was beginning," said Fender. "These spaces are iconic, but they are facing challenges."

Beginning in 2023, more than 150 of these venues have shut down – roughly one-sixth of the total UK scene.

Recently, well-known musicians such as the band Pulp, Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all backed the Music Venues Trust in its initiatives to support the industry, by including a minor surcharge to their ticket prices, which benefits local stages.

Fender also joined in, collecting over £100k on his live tour to support 38 small stages across England, Scotland, and Wales.

The donation helped spaces that were facing potential shutdown due to issues stemming from water damage, fire incidents and personal losses, as well as permit problems, court cases and noise complaints.

Other venues obtained funding support in modernizing amenities and gear that helped artists and audiences.

"The idea that funds from shows in large arenas backs the smaller venues, where it begins for musicians like me, is just logical," Sam Fender has commented.

He is far from the only musician to give his Mercury Prize winnings to charitable organizations.

In the band earned the prize in the year 1996 for their record their work, frontman the singer stated that the act would contribute their winnings to the organization War Child.

That year, rapper and singer Ms Dynamite split her award among multiple good causes, such as the NSPCC and a charity for Sickle Cell.

"I also gave a £1,000 to the center, to their classes, because I practiced gymnastics when I was growing up and they required updated gear," she explained to outlets.

In recent years, they donated their winnings to the community center that developed their act, alongside other local music groups.

Also 1994 winners the group gave their prize to a multiple sclerosis charity after a acquaintance was diagnosed the illness.

"Winning was sufficient," stated vocalist the singer. "The prize was the cherry on top but we didn't need the extra, because we had the honor. So our winning affected the lives of others."

In the past week, the MVT announced it had rescued several grassroots venues in the South East, by bringing them into local control.

One venue in that area and The Croft in Bristol were acquired under the public acquisition scheme, which is backed by the arts council and supporters who acquire "ownership units" in the buildings.