Sam Fender gives his £25k prize cash award to grassroots live spaces

The singer accepting the award in Newcastle
Sam Fender won the Mercury Prize last month in the North East

The star has handed over the complete sum of his twenty-five thousand pound honor winnings to the MVT, which works to protect the United Kingdom's small concert spaces.

The star was given the prize on October 16 as his new release the album was declared the outstanding release of the previous year.

Fender has decided to hand the money over to the trust, in recognition of the vital role grassroots venues played in his early career.

"I personally would not have achieved my current career if it wasn't for all the gigs I did around the North East, and elsewhere, when I was beginning," said Fender. "These spaces are iconic, but they are struggling."

Since the start of 2023, at least 150 of these spaces have ceased operations – approximately 16% of the entire UK sector.

Recently, major artists such as Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all supported the trust in its initiatives to support the industry, by including a modest fee to their ticket prices, which benefits local stages.

Fender also joined in, generating over £100k on his live tour to assist 38 small stages across Britain.

The donation helped spaces that were dealing with imminent closure due to issues stemming from flooding, blazes and personal losses, as well as licensing issues, legal disputes and noise complaints.

Some locations were granted funding support in upgrading amenities and sound and lighting systems that positively impacted artists and fans.

"The idea that funds from shows in big venues supports the local stages, where it kicks off for musicians like me, is just common sense," Sam Fender has stated.

Pulp members performing
They are among the artists who gave their honor winnings to good causes

The musician is among several artists to donate his honor winnings to good deeds.

Back when they earned the award in 1996 for their record their work, vocalist the singer stated that the act would donate their cash to the organization the charity.

In 2002, rapper and singer Ms Dynamite shared her prize between several charities, such as the children's charity and a Sickle Cell organization.

"I also donated a thousand pounds to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics program, because I practiced gymnastics when I was a child and they lacked new equipment," the artist explained to the media.

In recent years, the band contributed their winnings to the local youth club that supported their group, as well as other grassroots music organisations.

Additionally the 1994 recipients M People contributed their prize to a multiple sclerosis charity after a friend was diagnosed the condition.

"The victory was quite enough," remarked vocalist the singer. "The prize was the extra but we could do without the extra, because we had the cake. So our success touched the lives of others."

Recently, the MVT shared it had saved a couple of grassroots venues in that region, by transferring them to public stewardship.

The first in the city and The Croft in Bristol were purchased under the public acquisition initiative, which is supported by the arts council and supporters who acquire "ownership units" in the venues.

Richard Mcdowell
Richard Mcdowell

Elara Vance is an astrophysics enthusiast and science communicator who writes about space exploration and celestial events.