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The artist donates twenty-five thousand pounds cash award to small music venues

The artist accepting Mercury Prize in his hometown
Sam Fender received the Mercury Prize recently in Newcastle

The star has given the entirety of his £25,000 award winnings to the Music Venues Trust, which operates to save the UK's grassroots live music spots.

He was given the cheque on October 16 as his latest record the album was named the best record of the last 12 months.

He has opted to hand the money over to the trust, in acknowledgment of the vital role local spots played in his early career.

"I personally wouldn't be doing my current career if it weren't for all the performances I played around the North East, and elsewhere, when I was just getting going," stated the artist. "These spaces are iconic, but they are facing challenges."

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

Recently, well-known musicians like the band Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Sheeran have all backed the MVT in its initiatives to help venues survive, by applying a small levy to their admission fees, which goes to help local stages.

Fender also took part, raising in excess of £100,000 on his recent tour to support thirty-eight small stages across Britain.

These funds helped venues that were confronting possible closure due to difficulties caused by floods, blazes and bereavements, as well as permit problems, conflicts and sound issues.

Other venues received financial assistance in improving facilities and technical equipment that positively impacted performers and fans.

"The notion that funds from shows in big venues helps the local stages, where it begins for musicians like me, is just sensible," Sam Fender has stated.

Pulp members performing
Pulp are among the artists who donated their honor funds to good causes

The musician is not the first artist to donate his award funds to good deeds.

In the band won the trophy in the year 1996 for their record their work, vocalist the singer stated that the group would contribute their cash to the charity War Child.

That year, rapper and singer she shared her award across multiple organizations, like the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell charity.

"I also gave a grand to my local community centre, to their classes, because I did gymnastics when I was growing up and they required updated gear," Ms Dynamite told the media.

Previously, the band contributed their prize money to the community center that nurtured their band, as well as other local music groups.

Also the 1994 recipients they contributed their award to a MS organization after a friend was identified with the illness.

"The victory was quite enough," said singer Small. "The cash was the cherry on top but we could do without the cherry, because we had the cake. So our success affected the lives of others."

Last week, the Music Venues Trust shared it had rescued a couple of small stages in the South East, by bringing them into community ownership.

The Joiners in Southampton and The Croft in the city were bought under the Own Our Venues initiative, which is supported by a national body and supporters who acquire "shares" in the buildings.

JG
The writer

Jaime Gonzales

Marcus Thorne is a seasoned gambling industry analyst with over a decade of experience covering sports betting trends and regulatory developments across Europe.

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