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The musician donates twenty-five thousand pounds award winnings to small live spaces

The singer accepting his trophy in Newcastle
He was awarded the honor recently in the North East

The star has given the full amount of his twenty-five thousand pound Mercury Prize winnings to the trust for venues, which works to save the UK's independent concert spaces.

He was awarded the prize on October 16 as his latest record the album was named the top album of the previous year.

Fender has opted to give the cash to the trust, in recognition of the vital role grassroots venues fulfilled in his beginning days.

"As an artist wouldn't be doing my current career if it wasn't for all the performances I performed around the area, and beyond, when I was starting out," remarked Fender. "These locations are iconic, but they are struggling."

Since the start of 2023, at least 150 of these spaces have permanently closed – approximately 16 percent of the whole industry in the UK.

Over the past year, well-known musicians like Pulp, the group Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Sheeran have all aided the trust in its attempts to help venues survive, by adding a small levy to their admission fees, which supports independent venues.

Sam Fender also joined in, generating over £100k on his live tour to help numerous small stages across Britain.

The money helped spaces that were facing possible closure due to challenges arising from floods, blazes and personal losses, as well as licensing issues, conflicts and sound issues.

Some locations obtained financial assistance in improving amenities and technical equipment that directly benefitted musicians and audiences.

"The notion that funds from shows in major spaces backs the local stages, where it kicks off for performers like me, is just logical," Sam Fender has stated.

The band Pulp in concert
Pulp are one example who gave their Mercury Prize funds to charity

The musician is far from the only musician to donate his honor winnings to worthy causes.

In they received the award in 1996 for their album their work, vocalist Cocker stated that the group would donate their winnings to the non-profit the charity.

That year, musician she split her prize between multiple charities, including the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell charity.

"And I donated a £1,000 to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics class, because I practiced gymnastics when I was growing up and they needed new equipment," the artist told a publication.

In recent years, the band contributed their prize money to the local youth club that developed their act, as well as other local music groups.

And 1994 winners the group gave their award to a MS organization after a close contact was identified with the disease.

"The victory was quite enough," remarked singer Small. "The money was the cherry on top but we didn't need the bonus, because we had the honor. So our winning impacted somebody else's life."

Last week, the Music Venues Trust revealed it had rescued a couple of grassroots venues in that region, by bringing them into public stewardship.

The Joiners in Southampton and The Croft in Bristol were purchased under the community ownership program, which is funded by the arts council and music fans who purchase "ownership units" in the venues.

About the author

Jessica Price

A seasoned luxury travel writer and lifestyle curator with a passion for discovering hidden gems and sharing elegant living tips.

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