Sam Fender contributes his £25k prize cash award to grassroots concert halls

The star has donated the full amount of his twenty-five thousand pound Mercury Prize prize money to the MVT, which works to protect the UK's independent concert spaces.

Fender was awarded the prize on October 16 as his new release People Watching was chosen as the best record of the previous year.

He has decided to give the cash to the MVT, in appreciation of the vital role grassroots venues fulfilled in his early career.

"I personally couldn't be pursuing what I am doing today if it wasn't for all the gigs I did around the North East, and beyond, when I was just getting going," stated the artist. "These locations are renowned, but they are in difficulty."

From early 2023 onward, more than 150 of these spaces have shut down – approximately 16 percent of the total UK scene.

Recently, top acts such as the band Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all backed the trust in its efforts to help venues survive, by applying a minor surcharge to their ticket costs, which benefits local stages.

He also joined in, generating more than £100,000 on his recent tour to help 38 local spots across the UK.

These funds assisted locations that were facing possible closure due to difficulties arising from water damage, fires and family tragedies, as well as licensing issues, legal disputes and neighbor objections.

Additional spaces obtained monetary aid in improving amenities and gear that helped musicians and audiences.

"The idea that revenue from performances in major spaces helps the smaller venues, where it kicks off for musicians like me, is just logical," Fender has commented.

The musician is far from the only musician to give his honor funds to good deeds.

When they earned the trophy in the year 1996 for their release Different Class, vocalist Cocker stated that the band would give their cash to the non-profit the charity.

In 2002, artist Ms Dynamite divided her bounty between multiple organizations, like the children's charity and a Sickle Cell charity.

"Additionally, I contributed a grand to my local community centre, to their gymnastics program, because I practiced gymnastics when I was growing up and they lacked new equipment," she explained to the media.

Previously, Ezra Collective donated their prize money to the local youth club that nurtured their band, in addition to other independent music bodies.

Additionally winners that year they donated their prize to a multiple sclerosis charity after a friend was identified with the illness.

"Receiving the award was ample," stated artist Small. "The prize was the bonus but we didn't need the extra, because we had the honor. So our winning touched another person's life."

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

One venue in Southampton and The Croft in that location were acquired under the Own Our Venues scheme, which is supported by a national body and supporters who acquire "ownership units" in the buildings.