Sam Fender contributes £25,000 Mercury Prize to small concert halls
The artist has donated the full amount of his twenty-five thousand pound award cash to the trust for venues, which functions to save the UK's small concert spaces.
Fender was given the award on October 16 as his new release the album was declared the best record of the last 12 months.
The musician has chosen to give the cash to the Music Venues Trust, in recognition of the vital role local spots played in his early career.
"As an artist couldn't be pursuing this success if it weren't for all the shows I performed around the region, and elsewhere, when I was just getting going," stated the artist. "These venues are iconic, but they are facing challenges."
Beginning in 2023, over 150 of these venues have ceased operations – approximately 16% of the entire UK sector.
In the last year, well-known musicians including the band Pulp, the group Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all supported the MVT in its attempts to keep the scene afloat, by including a small levy to their ticket costs, which goes to help local stages.
He also took part, raising in excess of £100,000 on his recent tour to support 38 local spots across England, Scotland, and Wales.
These funds helped locations that were dealing with possible closure due to difficulties stemming from flooding, blazes and personal losses, as well as licensing issues, legal disputes and noise complaints.
Additional spaces were granted monetary aid in upgrading infrastructure and gear that directly benefitted performers and audiences.
"The notion that revenue from performances in big venues helps the local stages, where it begins for musicians like me, is just logical," Sam Fender has said.
The musician is among several artists to donate his award winnings to good deeds.
In the band won the prize in the year 1996 for their record their work, frontman the singer stated that the group would contribute their cash to the organization War Child.
During 2002, artist she divided her prize between a few organizations, such as the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell charity.
"Additionally, I contributed a £1,000 to my local community centre, to their gymnastics class, because I practiced gymnastics when I was a child and they lacked new equipment," she shared with a publication.
Previously, they contributed their prize money to the community center that nurtured their act, in addition to other local music groups.
And the 1994 recipients M People gave their prize to a MS organization after a acquaintance was identified with the condition.
"Receiving the award was sufficient," stated vocalist Heather Small. "The prize was the bonus but we could do without the extra, because we had the main prize. So our victory touched another person's life."
In the past week, the Music Venues Trust shared it had saved two grassroots venues in that region, by transferring them to public stewardship.
The first in that area and the other in that location were purchased under the public acquisition initiative, which is backed by the arts council and enthusiasts who purchase "stakes" in the venues.