🔗 Share this article

The artist has handed over the entirety of his £25,000 Mercury Prize prize money to the MVT, which operates to protect the UK's grassroots music venues.

He was awarded the award on 16 October as his latest record the album was named the best record of the past year.

Fender has chosen to donate the funds to the Music Venues Trust, in acknowledgment of the crucial part local spots had in his initial steps.

"I personally would not have achieved this success if it hadn't been for all the shows I did around the North East, and further afield, when I was just getting going," remarked Fender. "These locations are iconic, but they are in difficulty."

Since the start of 2023, at least 150 of these locations have ceased operations – about 16% of the total UK scene.

Recently, top acts like the band Pulp, the group Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all backed the MVT in its initiatives to help venues survive, by adding a small levy to their admission fees, which supports local stages.

Sam Fender also participated, collecting in excess of £100,000 on his 2024 arena tour to assist 38 small stages across the UK.

These funds supported venues that were dealing with imminent closure due to difficulties stemming from floods, fires and personal losses, as well as licensing issues, conflicts and sound issues.

Additional spaces received monetary aid in modernizing facilities and technical equipment that directly benefitted musicians and audiences.

"The concept that revenue from performances in large arenas supports the smaller venues, where it kicks off for musicians like me, is just common sense," Fender has commented.

Fender is not the first artist to give his honor prize money to worthy causes.

When they earned the trophy in 1996 for their album the album, frontman Jarvis Cocker stated that the band would give their prize money to the charity War Child.

During 2002, artist the artist split her bounty between a few organizations, including the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell organization.

"I also contributed a thousand pounds to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics program, because I did gymnastics when I was growing up and they needed updated gear," she shared with the media.

Previously, they contributed their winnings to the community center that nurtured their group, alongside other grassroots music organisations.

And the 1994 recipients the group donated their prize to a charity for MS after a acquaintance was diagnosed the condition.

"Winning was sufficient," remarked artist Small. "The money was the cherry on top but we didn't require the extra, because we had the honor. So our victory affected the lives of others."

Recently, the trust revealed it had protected several grassroots venues in south-east England, by placing them under local control.

The Joiners in that area and the second in Bristol were purchased under the Own Our Venues program, which is funded by a national body and enthusiasts who purchase "stakes" in the venues.