The artist donates his £25k prize Mercury Prize to independent music venues

The artist holding the award in his hometown
Sam Fender was awarded the prestigious award in October in Newcastle

The artist has given the full amount of his twenty-five thousand pound award winnings to the MVT, which functions to save the UK's independent concert spaces.

Fender was given the award on October 16 as his new release the album was named the top album of the past year.

He has chosen to give the cash to the trust, in acknowledgment of the vital role grassroots venues played in his initial steps.

"I wouldn't be doing this success if it wasn't for all the gigs I played around the North East, and beyond, when I was just getting going," said Fender. "These locations are renowned, but they are in difficulty."

From early 2023 onward, at least 150 of these venues have permanently closed – roughly one-sixth of the whole industry in the UK.

Recently, well-known musicians like Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all backed the MVT in its attempts to help venues survive, by including a minor surcharge to their ticket costs, which goes to help independent venues.

He also joined in, generating more than £100,000 on his live tour to assist numerous grassroots venues across Britain.

These funds supported locations that were confronting potential shutdown due to issues caused by water damage, fires and personal losses, as well as licensing issues, legal disputes and noise complaints.

Additional spaces were granted funding support in improving infrastructure and gear that positively impacted artists and concertgoers.

"The notion that revenue from performances in big venues backs the independent spots, where it kicks off for artists like me, is just sensible," Sam Fender has stated.

Pulp members in concert
The group are among the artists who donated their honor funds to non-profits

The musician is among several artists to donate his Mercury Prize funds to worthy causes.

Back when the band received the trophy in the year 1996 for their release their work, vocalist Cocker stated that the band would donate their winnings to the organization War Child.

That year, rapper and singer Ms Dynamite split her award across several organizations, like the children's charity and a Sickle Cell charity.

"Additionally, I donated a £1,000 to the center, to their gymnastics class, because I trained in gymnastics when I was younger and they required better apparatus," Ms Dynamite told outlets.

Previously, the band donated their funds to the youth organization that supported their act, alongside other grassroots music organisations.

Also 1994 winners they donated their winnings to a MS organization after a friend was identified with the disease.

"The victory was sufficient," remarked artist the singer. "The cash was the bonus but we didn't require the cherry, because we had the honor. So our success impacted somebody else's life."

Last week, the trust revealed it had rescued two grassroots venues in the South East, by bringing them into public stewardship.

One venue in that area and the other in that location were acquired under the public acquisition initiative, which is supported by the arts council and enthusiasts who purchase "shares" in the venues.

Jeanne Jones
Jeanne Jones

A tech journalist and digital strategist with over a decade of experience covering emerging trends and innovations.