🔗 Share this article

Sam Fender has handed over the full amount of his twenty-five thousand pound award winnings to the trust for venues, which operates to save the United Kingdom's independent concert spaces.

Fender was given the prize on 16 October as his third album his work was chosen as the top album of the previous year.

Fender has decided to give the cash to the trust, in appreciation of the essential function grassroots venues had in his initial steps.

"I 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 starting out," said the artist. "These spaces are legendary, but they are struggling."

Since the start of 2023, over 150 of these spaces have permanently closed – about one-sixth of the whole industry in the UK.

Over the past year, top acts like Pulp, the group Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all supported the trust in its initiatives to keep the scene afloat, by adding a modest fee to their admission fees, which goes to help independent venues.

Sam Fender also took part, generating more than £100,000 on his recent tour to support 38 local spots across England, Scotland, and Wales.

These funds supported locations that were confronting potential shutdown due to issues caused by floods, blazes and family tragedies, as well as permit problems, court cases and noise complaints.

Other venues were granted funding support in modernizing amenities and gear that directly benefitted artists and concertgoers.

"The concept that money from performances in large arenas helps the independent spots, where it kicks off for musicians like me, is just logical," Sam Fender has said.

The musician is not the first artist to contribute his Mercury Prize funds to worthy causes.

Back when the band won the award in 1996 for their record the album, lead singer the singer declared that the act would contribute their winnings to the non-profit War Child.

In 2002, artist Ms Dynamite shared her award across several organizations, like the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell organization.

"Additionally, I donated a thousand pounds to my local community centre, to their gymnastics class, because I did gymnastics when I was younger and they lacked new equipment," Ms Dynamite told outlets.

Previously, they donated their winnings to the youth organization that supported their band, in addition to other independent music bodies.

Also 1994 winners they gave their winnings to a MS organization after a acquaintance was identified with the disease.

"The victory was ample," stated singer Small. "The prize was the bonus but we didn't need the cherry, because we had the cake. So our victory impacted another person's life."

Last week, the trust shared it had protected two local spots in that region, by transferring them to local control.

One venue in that area and the second in the city were bought under the community ownership program, which is supported by Arts Council England and supporters who purchase "ownership units" in the buildings.