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Sam Fender donates twenty-five thousand pounds Mercury Prize to independent live spaces

Sam Fender receiving the award in the North East
Sam Fender received the honor in October in the North East

The star has given the complete sum of his twenty-five thousand pound award winnings to the MVT, which operates to protect the UK's grassroots concert spaces.

Fender was given the cheque on October 16 as his third album the album was chosen as the top album of the past year.

The musician has decided to give the cash to the trust, in appreciation of the essential function small stages played in his initial steps.

"I wouldn't be doing my current career if it wasn't for all the performances I did around the North East, and elsewhere, when I was starting out," remarked the artist. "These venues are iconic, but they are struggling."

Beginning in 2023, over 150 of these locations have permanently closed – about 16 percent of the entire UK sector.

Recently, major artists such as the band Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Sheeran have all aided the trust in its efforts to help venues survive, by including a minor surcharge to their ticket prices, which goes to help local stages.

Sam Fender also participated, raising more than £100,000 on his live tour to support numerous grassroots venues across the UK.

The donation assisted venues that were facing possible closure due to issues stemming from floods, blazes and bereavements, as well as regulatory hurdles, conflicts and sound issues.

Additional spaces received monetary aid in upgrading amenities and technical equipment that helped performers and concertgoers.

"The concept that funds from shows in large arenas backs the independent spots, where it begins for musicians like me, is just sensible," Fender has said.

Pulp in concert
Pulp are among the artists who gave their Mercury Prize funds to good causes

He is far from the only musician to give his award funds to good deeds.

In they won the trophy in the year 1996 for their album Different Class, lead singer the singer announced that the band would give their prize money to the charity War Child.

In 2002, artist the artist divided her bounty among several charities, like the NSPCC and a charity for Sickle Cell.

"I also gave a grand to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics program, because I trained in gymnastics when I was younger and they lacked updated gear," she told a publication.

In recent years, they gave their funds to the local youth club that supported their group, alongside other independent music bodies.

Additionally 1994 winners the group donated their winnings to a MS organization after a friend was diagnosed the condition.

"Receiving the award was ample," stated artist Heather Small. "The money was the bonus but we didn't need the extra, because we had the main prize. So our victory touched somebody else's life."

Last week, the Music Venues Trust revealed it had rescued several small stages in south-east England, by bringing them into local control.

The Joiners in the city and the second in Bristol were acquired under the public acquisition initiative, which is backed by Arts Council England and supporters who acquire "stakes" in the buildings.

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Catherine Obrien

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