Sam Fender donates his £25k prize award winnings to small live spaces

The artist has handed over the full amount of his twenty-five thousand pound honor cash to the Music Venues Trust, which functions to preserve the United Kingdom's grassroots concert spaces.

The star was given the prize on mid-October as his latest record People Watching was named the top album of the last 12 months.

Fender has chosen to hand the money over to the Music Venues Trust, in recognition of the essential function local spots fulfilled in his early career.

"I personally wouldn't be doing this success if it hadn't been for all the shows I performed around the area, and elsewhere, when I was beginning," remarked the artist. "These venues are renowned, but they are in difficulty."

Since the start of 2023, over 150 of these venues have permanently closed – about one-sixth of the whole industry in the UK.

Recently, well-known musicians like Pulp, the group Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all aided the MVT in its initiatives to help venues survive, by including a minor surcharge to their admission fees, which goes to help local stages.

Fender also participated, collecting over £100k on his recent tour to help 38 local spots across England, Scotland, and Wales.

The money assisted venues that were facing imminent closure due to challenges arising from water damage, blazes and family tragedies, as well as licensing issues, conflicts and neighbor objections.

Additional spaces were granted funding support in upgrading infrastructure and technical equipment that directly benefitted artists and audiences.

"The idea that funds from performances in big venues supports the smaller venues, where it all starts for artists like me, is just common sense," Fender has said.

Fender is among several artists to contribute his Mercury Prize funds to good deeds.

In Pulp won the prize in the year 1996 for their release the album, lead singer Cocker announced that the act would contribute their prize money to the organization the charity.

In 2002, musician she divided her award among multiple organizations, including the children's charity and a Sickle Cell charity.

"Additionally, I contributed a £1,000 to the center, to their gymnastics program, because I did gymnastics when I was growing up and they lacked updated gear," she told the media.

In recent years, they contributed their winnings to the community center that developed their act, alongside other local music groups.

And 1994 winners they contributed their prize to a MS organization after a friend was diagnosed the disease.

"The victory was quite enough," remarked singer the singer. "The money was the bonus but we didn't require the bonus, because we had the cake. So our winning affected the lives of others."

Last week, the MVT revealed it had saved two local spots in the South East, by transferring them to local control.

The Joiners in the city and The Croft in the city were purchased under the public acquisition scheme, which is supported by Arts Council England and enthusiasts who acquire "stakes" in the buildings.