The artist contributes £25,000 cash award to small music venues

The singer accepting his trophy in Newcastle
He won the Mercury Prize in October in the North East

The star has handed over the complete sum of his twenty-five thousand pound honor prize money to the Music Venues Trust, which functions to protect the Britain's independent live music spots.

The star was presented with the prize on October 16 as his new release the album was named the top album of the past year.

He has chosen to hand the money over to the trust, in recognition of the essential function grassroots venues fulfilled in his initial steps.

"I would not have achieved my current career if it hadn't been for all the performances I performed around the North East, and further afield, when I was just getting going," stated Fender. "These venues are renowned, but they are in difficulty."

From early 2023 onward, over 150 of these venues have permanently closed – approximately 16 percent of the whole industry in the UK.

Recently, major artists like Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all backed the Music Venues Trust in its initiatives to support the industry, by applying a small levy to their ticket costs, which goes to help local stages.

Fender also took part, collecting in excess of £100,000 on his live tour to support thirty-eight local spots across Britain.

The donation supported locations that were facing potential shutdown due to challenges caused by floods, fires and personal losses, as well as permit problems, legal disputes and sound issues.

Additional spaces were granted monetary aid in modernizing amenities and technical equipment that directly benefitted performers and fans.

"The notion that funds from performances in large arenas backs the local stages, where it kicks off for performers like me, is just sensible," Sam Fender has commented.

Pulp performing
The group are among the artists who donated their honor winnings to non-profits

Fender is far from the only musician to give his award winnings to good deeds.

In they won the award in the mid-90s for their release Different Class, vocalist Cocker announced that the band would give their winnings to the organization War Child.

That year, rapper and singer Ms Dynamite divided her bounty between multiple charities, like the children's charity and a charity for Sickle Cell.

"I also donated a grand to Highgate Newtown, to their classes, because I did gymnastics when I was a child and they lacked updated gear," Ms Dynamite told the media.

Previously, they donated their winnings to the community center that nurtured their band, alongside other local music groups.

Also winners that year M People donated their prize to a MS organization after a acquaintance was diagnosed the illness.

"Winning was quite enough," said vocalist Small. "The cash was the cherry on top but we could do without the bonus, because we had the cake. So our winning affected somebody else's life."

Recently, the Music Venues Trust shared it had saved several small stages in that region, by placing them under community ownership.

The first in that area and the other in the city were purchased under the public acquisition scheme, which is backed by the arts council and music fans who acquire "ownership units" in the venues.

Jeremiah Wilson
Jeremiah Wilson

Award-winning journalist with over 15 years of experience covering UK politics and social issues, known for insightful analysis.