🔗 Share this article

Sam Fender has donated the complete sum of his £25,000 Mercury Prize cash to the trust for venues, which functions to save the Britain's grassroots live music spots.

Fender was awarded the prize on mid-October as his latest record People Watching was named the outstanding release of the past year.

The musician has chosen to hand the money over to the Music Venues Trust, in acknowledgment of the crucial part small stages played in his initial steps.

"As an artist couldn't be pursuing what I am doing today if it weren't for all the performances I performed around the region, and elsewhere, when I was just getting going," stated the artist. "These locations are renowned, but they are facing challenges."

Since the start of 2023, more than 150 of these spaces have permanently closed – approximately one-sixth of the whole industry in the UK.

In the last year, major artists such as Pulp, the group Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Sheeran have all aided the MVT in its initiatives to support the industry, by including a small levy to their ticket prices, which benefits smaller concert halls.

Fender also joined in, generating over £100k on his live tour to help numerous local spots across England, Scotland, and Wales.

These funds assisted spaces that were dealing with imminent closure due to challenges stemming from floods, fires and bereavements, as well as licensing issues, legal disputes and sound issues.

Some locations obtained financial assistance in upgrading facilities and sound and lighting systems that directly benefitted artists and fans.

"The notion that revenue from performances in big venues supports the local stages, where it begins for artists like me, is just sensible," Fender has said.

He is among several artists to donate his Mercury Prize winnings to good deeds.

Back when the band earned the prize in 1996 for their album their work, frontman Jarvis Cocker stated that the group would give their prize money to the non-profit War Child.

In 2002, artist Ms Dynamite divided her award between a few good causes, such as the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell organization.

"And I donated a thousand pounds to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics class, because I did gymnastics when I was a child and they required updated gear," the artist explained to a publication.

In recent years, the band contributed their funds to the youth organization that supported their group, as well as other independent music bodies.

Additionally 1994 winners they donated their winnings to a charity for MS after a friend was identified with the disease.

"Receiving the award was quite enough," remarked artist Small. "The prize was the extra but we didn't need the extra, because we had the main prize. So our success affected the lives of others."

Last week, the trust shared it had saved two small stages in south-east England, by transferring them to community ownership.

One venue in that area and the second in the city were acquired under the public acquisition initiative, which is supported by the arts council and supporters who purchase "shares" in the venues.