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The musician gives twenty-five thousand pounds cash award to small music venues

Sam Fender holding Mercury Prize in Newcastle
Sam Fender was awarded the honor recently in his hometown

The star has given the full amount of his £25,000 award cash to the MVT, which functions to protect the Britain's independent concert spaces.

He was awarded the award on October 16 as his new release the album was declared the outstanding release of the past year.

The musician has chosen to give the cash to the MVT, in acknowledgment of the vital role local spots played in his beginning days.

"I personally wouldn't be doing this success if it wasn't for all the gigs I did around the North East, and elsewhere, when I was beginning," stated Sam Fender. "These spaces are renowned, but they are facing challenges."

Beginning in 2023, more than 150 of these spaces have permanently closed – approximately one-sixth of the entire UK sector.

Recently, major artists including Pulp, the group Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all supported the trust in its initiatives to support the industry, by adding a minor surcharge to their ticket prices, which goes to help independent venues.

Sam Fender also joined in, collecting more than £100,000 on his live tour to assist thirty-eight local spots across Britain.

These funds assisted spaces that were dealing with imminent closure due to issues arising from water damage, fires and personal losses, as well as permit problems, conflicts and sound issues.

Other venues obtained funding support in modernizing infrastructure and technical equipment that positively impacted artists and fans.

"The notion that money from concerts in big venues helps the smaller venues, where it begins for performers like me, is just sensible," the star has said.

Pulp on stage
The group are one example who gave their honor winnings to non-profits

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

When they earned the trophy in the year 1996 for their release their work, vocalist the singer declared that the band would give their prize money to the non-profit War Child.

During 2002, artist the artist divided her bounty among several charities, like the children's charity and a Sickle Cell charity.

"I also donated a grand to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics program, because I practiced gymnastics when I was growing up and they required updated gear," the artist explained to a publication.

In recent years, the band gave their funds to the community center that nurtured their band, as well as other grassroots music organisations.

And the 1994 recipients M People gave their award to a multiple sclerosis charity after a friend was identified with the illness.

"The victory was sufficient," remarked singer Small. "The cash was the bonus but we could do without the cherry, because we had the cake. So our success impacted somebody else's life."

Last week, the Music Venues Trust shared it had protected a couple of grassroots venues in south-east England, by placing them under local control.

The Joiners in the city and the second in the city were purchased under the community ownership program, which is supported by the arts council and supporters who acquire "ownership units" in the venues.

By

Mr. Robert Peterson MD

A software engineer and tech enthusiast with over a decade of experience in AI development and digital transformation projects.

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