The artist donates £25,000 Mercury Prize to independent concert halls

Sam Fender holding the award in Newcastle
He was awarded the honor last month in his hometown

The star has donated the complete sum of his twenty-five thousand pound award winnings to the Music Venues Trust, which functions to preserve the United Kingdom's grassroots music venues.

He was awarded the prize on 16 October as his third album the album was named the outstanding release of the past year.

He has decided to hand the money over to the Music Venues Trust, in recognition of the essential function small stages played in his beginning days.

"I would not have achieved my current career if it hadn't been for all the performances I performed around the region, and beyond, when I was just getting going," remarked the artist. "These spaces are iconic, but they are facing challenges."

Beginning in 2023, over 150 of these locations have ceased operations – about 16% of the entire UK sector.

In the last year, well-known musicians such as Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all aided the MVT in its initiatives to help venues survive, by applying a minor surcharge to their admission fees, which supports smaller concert halls.

He also took part, raising over £100k on his live tour to help numerous small stages across England, Scotland, and Wales.

The donation helped spaces that were confronting possible closure due to difficulties caused by floods, fire incidents and bereavements, as well as permit problems, court cases and sound issues.

Other venues received monetary aid in modernizing amenities and gear that positively impacted musicians and fans.

"The concept that money from performances in large arenas helps the smaller venues, where it begins for musicians like me, is just sensible," Sam Fender has stated.

Pulp members on stage
They are among the artists who contributed their honor winnings to charity

He is far from the only musician to contribute his Mercury Prize funds to worthy causes.

When the band earned the prize in the year 1996 for their release their work, lead singer the singer stated that the act would donate their winnings to the charity War Child.

In 2002, artist Ms Dynamite split her bounty across a few organizations, including the children's charity and a Sickle Cell charity.

"Additionally, I donated a grand to the center, to their gymnastics class, because I did gymnastics when I was growing up and they lacked updated gear," she shared with the media.

In recent years, they donated their winnings to the community center that supported their act, alongside other grassroots music organisations.

And 1994 winners M People gave their prize to a charity for MS after a acquaintance was found to have the condition.

"Receiving the award was sufficient," said singer Small. "The prize was the bonus but we could do without the cherry, because we had the main prize. So our success impacted the lives of others."

Recently, the trust shared it had saved two grassroots venues in south-east England, by placing them under community ownership.

The Joiners in that area and the second in that location were purchased under the community ownership initiative, which is supported by the arts council and music fans who buy "shares" in the properties.

Brandi Green
Brandi Green

A UK-based journalist and blogger with over a decade of experience covering lifestyle and current affairs.