🔗 Share this article

Sam Fender has handed over the full amount of his £25k honor winnings to the Music Venues Trust, which works to preserve the United Kingdom's small live music spots.

Fender was presented with the prize on mid-October as his third album the album was named the best record of the past year.

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

"I couldn't be pursuing what I am doing today if it hadn't been for all the shows I played around the area, and elsewhere, when I was starting out," remarked Sam Fender. "These locations are renowned, but they are facing challenges."

Beginning in 2023, more than 150 of these venues have permanently closed – about one-sixth of the entire UK sector.

Recently, well-known musicians like Pulp, Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all aided the Music Venues Trust in its initiatives to help venues survive, by including a small levy to their ticket prices, which supports independent venues.

Sam Fender also took part, generating over £100k on his recent tour to support numerous small stages across England, Scotland, and Wales.

The donation helped venues that were confronting potential shutdown due to challenges caused by water damage, fire incidents and family tragedies, as well as licensing issues, court cases and sound issues.

Additional spaces were granted financial assistance in upgrading infrastructure and technical equipment that helped artists and concertgoers.

"The concept that money from shows in major spaces backs the smaller venues, where it all starts for artists like me, is just common sense," the star has said.

Fender is not the first artist to give his Mercury Prize prize money to good deeds.

Back when the band won the trophy in the year 1996 for their release their work, vocalist Jarvis Cocker declared that the band would give their winnings to the non-profit War Child.

In 2002, artist she split her award across a few good causes, including the children's charity 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 growing up and they lacked updated gear," the artist explained to the media.

Two years ago, Ezra Collective donated their funds to the youth organization that developed their group, as well as other grassroots music organisations.

And the 1994 recipients they contributed their award to a charity for MS after a acquaintance was diagnosed the condition.

"Winning was quite enough," stated vocalist Small. "The money was the bonus but we didn't require the cherry, because we had the main prize. So our winning impacted another person's life."

Last week, the trust announced it had rescued a couple of small stages in south-east England, by bringing them into community ownership.

The Joiners in Southampton and the second in the city were purchased under the public acquisition program, which is backed by the arts council and supporters who purchase "ownership units" in the venues.