🔗 Share this article

Sam Fender has handed over the entirety of his £25k Mercury Prize prize money to the MVT, which functions to protect the United Kingdom's independent live music spots.

The star was presented with the prize on 16 October as his third album the album was chosen as the outstanding release of the last 12 months.

He has chosen to hand the money over to the Music Venues Trust, in appreciation of the essential function small stages had in his initial steps.

"As an artist wouldn't be doing what I am doing today if it hadn't been for all the performances I performed around the region, and elsewhere, when I was starting out," remarked Sam Fender. "These venues are iconic, but they are in difficulty."

From early 2023 onward, more than 150 of these venues have ceased operations – about 16% of the whole industry in the UK.

Recently, top acts such as the band Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Sheeran have all supported the Music Venues Trust in its efforts to keep the scene afloat, by including a small levy to their ticket costs, which goes to help independent venues.

Sam Fender also participated, raising over £100k on his 2024 arena tour to help 38 small stages across the UK.

The money supported locations that were confronting possible closure due to issues caused by floods, blazes and family tragedies, as well as permit problems, legal disputes and noise complaints.

Additional spaces obtained funding support in modernizing amenities and sound and lighting systems that helped artists and audiences.

"The idea that funds from performances in major spaces backs the local stages, where it all starts for performers like me, is just common sense," Fender has said.

He is far from the only musician to donate his honor winnings to charitable organizations.

In Pulp received the award in the year 1996 for their record the album, vocalist the singer stated that the group would contribute their prize money to the non-profit War Child.

During 2002, artist Ms Dynamite divided her bounty among several charities, such as the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell organization.

"And I gave a thousand pounds to the center, to their classes, because I trained in gymnastics when I was younger and they lacked updated gear," she explained to the media.

Previously, they donated their funds to the youth organization that nurtured their act, alongside other local music groups.

Also 1994 winners they contributed their award to a multiple sclerosis charity after a close contact was diagnosed the illness.

"Winning was sufficient," stated vocalist Heather Small. "The money was the bonus but we didn't need the extra, because we had the cake. So our success impacted somebody else's life."

Last week, the MVT shared it had rescued a couple of grassroots venues in the South East, by placing them under local control.

The first in that area and the other in Bristol were purchased under the Own Our Venues initiative, which is funded by the arts council and supporters who purchase "shares" in the buildings.