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The artist gives twenty-five thousand pounds award winnings to grassroots live spaces

Sam Fender accepting Mercury Prize in the North East
Sam Fender won the honor in October in the North East

The star has handed over the complete sum of his £25k honor cash to the MVT, which works to save the Britain's small music venues.

Fender was presented with the award on mid-October as his new release the album was named the best record of the previous year.

Fender has chosen to donate the funds to the MVT, in appreciation of the vital role small stages played in his early career.

"As an artist couldn't be pursuing my current career if it wasn't for all the shows I did around the area, and further afield, when I was starting out," said Fender. "These venues are renowned, but they are facing challenges."

Since the start of 2023, at least 150 of these venues have shut down – roughly 16% of the whole industry in the UK.

In the last year, top acts including Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all aided the trust in its attempts to keep the scene afloat, by including a small levy to their admission fees, which goes to help independent venues.

Fender also took part, generating more than £100,000 on his recent tour to assist thirty-eight grassroots venues across England, Scotland, and Wales.

The donation supported locations that were confronting imminent closure due to challenges arising from flooding, blazes and bereavements, as well as licensing issues, legal disputes and noise complaints.

Other venues received monetary aid in upgrading facilities and technical equipment that directly benefitted artists and concertgoers.

"The concept that funds from concerts in big venues backs the local stages, where it begins for performers like me, is just logical," the star has said.

Pulp performing
They are one of the many acts who donated their honor funds to charity

He is among several artists to give his honor prize money to good deeds.

When the band earned the prize in 1996 for their album the album, lead singer Jarvis Cocker stated that the band would give their winnings to the organization War Child.

In 2002, rapper and singer she shared her prize across multiple charities, such as the children's charity and a Sickle Cell organization.

"And I gave a £1,000 to the center, to their gymnastics class, because I did gymnastics when I was growing up and they lacked new equipment," Ms Dynamite shared with the media.

Two years ago, the band gave their prize money to the community center that supported their act, alongside other local music groups.

And 1994 winners the group gave their award to a charity for MS after a acquaintance was identified with the condition.

"Winning was quite enough," stated artist Small. "The prize was the extra but we didn't require the cherry, because we had the cake. So our winning affected another person's life."

In the past week, the MVT announced it had saved two grassroots venues in south-east England, by placing them under local control.

One venue in that area and the second in that location were bought under the public acquisition program, which is backed by Arts Council England and enthusiasts who purchase "stakes" in the venues.

By

Tara Smith

Urban planner and writer focusing on sustainable city development and global urban trends.

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