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The artist gives twenty-five thousand pounds Mercury Prize to grassroots live spaces

Sam Fender accepting the award in Newcastle
The musician won the Mercury Prize last month in Newcastle

The star has given the entirety of his £25k honor winnings to the trust for venues, which operates to save the UK's independent live music spots.

The star was awarded the cheque on October 16 as his third album the album was declared the best record of the previous year.

Fender has chosen to give the cash to the MVT, in acknowledgment of the crucial part local spots fulfilled in his early career.

"I personally couldn't be pursuing my current career if it weren't for all the gigs I performed around the region, and further afield, when I was just getting going," stated Sam Fender. "These venues are renowned, but they are in difficulty."

From early 2023 onward, over 150 of these venues have permanently closed – about 16% of the whole industry in the UK.

In the last year, well-known musicians like the band Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Sheeran have all aided the trust in its initiatives to keep the scene afloat, by including a minor surcharge to their ticket prices, which goes to help smaller concert halls.

Fender also took part, collecting in excess of £100,000 on his live tour to help numerous local spots across Britain.

These funds assisted spaces that were facing possible closure due to challenges caused by flooding, fires and family tragedies, as well as licensing issues, conflicts and sound issues.

Additional spaces received funding support in improving infrastructure and gear that helped artists and concertgoers.

"The idea that money from shows in big venues helps the independent spots, where it begins for performers like me, is just logical," Fender has commented.

Pulp members in concert
They are one example who contributed their award funds to non-profits

The musician is far from the only musician to contribute his award funds to good deeds.

In the band received the award in the year 1996 for their release the album, vocalist the singer stated that the group would contribute their winnings to the non-profit War Child.

In 2002, musician the artist divided her award across a few charities, like the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell organization.

"Additionally, I gave a grand to the center, to their gymnastics program, because I did gymnastics when I was younger and they lacked better apparatus," Ms Dynamite explained to outlets.

Two years ago, the band donated their winnings to the youth organization that nurtured their group, alongside other independent music bodies.

Also winners that year M People gave their award to a MS organization after a acquaintance was identified with the illness.

"The victory was quite enough," remarked singer Small. "The cash was the bonus but we didn't need the extra, because we had the cake. So our victory affected another person's life."

In the past week, the MVT revealed it had saved several small stages in south-east England, by placing them under public stewardship.

The first in the city and The Croft in Bristol were acquired under the public acquisition scheme, which is backed by Arts Council England and supporters who purchase "shares" in the venues.

The writer

Anthony Rose

A seasoned slot gaming analyst with over a decade of experience in casino entertainment and strategy development.

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