🔗 Share this article The artist gives £25,000 Mercury Prize to independent music venues Sam Fender won the prestigious award in October in the North East The star has given the full amount of his twenty-five thousand pound Mercury Prize cash to the MVT, which operates to preserve the Britain's small music venues. Fender was awarded the award on mid-October as his third album the album was named the outstanding release of the past year. The musician has decided to hand the money over to the trust, in acknowledgment of the vital role local spots fulfilled in his beginning days. "I personally would not have achieved what I am doing today if it wasn't for all the performances I played around the North East, and further afield, when I was beginning," remarked Sam Fender. "These spaces are renowned, but they are struggling." Since the start of 2023, at least 150 of these spaces have ceased operations – approximately 16 percent of the entire UK sector. In the last year, major artists like Pulp, the group Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all aided the MVT in its initiatives to support the industry, by adding a small levy to their ticket costs, which goes to help independent venues. Sam Fender also took part, generating more than £100,000 on his recent tour to support thirty-eight small stages across England, Scotland, and Wales. These funds assisted spaces that were facing imminent closure due to challenges arising from flooding, fires and family tragedies, as well as licensing issues, legal disputes and neighbor objections. Some locations received financial assistance in improving facilities and gear that directly benefitted musicians and fans. "The notion that revenue from shows in big venues backs the local stages, where it all starts for performers like me, is just common sense," Sam Fender has commented. Pulp are among the artists who donated their award funds to good causes Fender is among several artists to donate his Mercury Prize funds to good deeds. In the band received the trophy in the year 1996 for their record the album, lead singer Cocker announced that the band would contribute their prize money to the non-profit War Child. That year, rapper and singer she shared her bounty among multiple good causes, including the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell organization. "And I gave a £1,000 to my local community centre, to their gymnastics program, because I practiced gymnastics when I was younger and they needed better apparatus," the artist shared with outlets. Two years ago, Ezra Collective donated their prize money to the youth organization that developed their band, as well as other grassroots music organisations. Also winners that year M People donated their winnings to a charity for MS after a acquaintance was found to have the disease. "Receiving the award was ample," remarked artist Heather Small. "The cash was the cherry on top but we could do without the cherry, because we had the main prize. So our victory affected the lives of others." Recently, the trust revealed it had rescued two grassroots venues in south-east England, by bringing them into community ownership. The Joiners in that area and the other in Bristol were purchased under the Own Our Venues initiative, which is supported by the arts council and supporters who acquire "shares" in the venues.