Sam Fender gives £25,000 cash award to grassroots concert halls

Sam Fender accepting Mercury Prize in Newcastle
He received the prestigious award last month in the North East

The star has handed over the complete sum of his £25,000 award prize money to the Music Venues Trust, which functions to save the United Kingdom's grassroots music venues.

The star was presented with the cheque on mid-October as his latest record the album was chosen as the best record of the previous year.

He has chosen to donate the funds to the Music Venues Trust, in appreciation of the essential function grassroots venues played in his initial steps.

"As an artist would not have achieved what I am doing today if it weren't for all the gigs I did around the region, and elsewhere, when I was starting out," stated the artist. "These venues are renowned, but they are struggling."

From early 2023 onward, over 150 of these locations have ceased operations – approximately one-sixth of the entire UK sector.

Over the past year, top acts including Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all aided the MVT in its attempts to support the industry, by including a minor surcharge to their ticket costs, which benefits independent venues.

Fender also participated, collecting in excess of £100,000 on his 2024 arena tour to assist numerous local spots across Britain.

The donation assisted locations that were facing imminent closure due to issues arising from water damage, fires and family tragedies, as well as licensing issues, legal disputes and noise complaints.

Other venues obtained financial assistance in modernizing amenities and technical equipment that directly benefitted performers and concertgoers.

"The notion that revenue from shows in major spaces helps the independent spots, where it kicks off for performers like me, is just sensible," the star has commented.

Pulp in concert
They are among the artists who contributed their award prize money to charity

Fender is among several artists to contribute his honor winnings to good deeds.

In Pulp earned the trophy in the year 1996 for their album their work, lead singer Jarvis Cocker stated that the act would donate their winnings to the non-profit the charity.

That year, rapper and singer she split her prize between several organizations, like the children's charity and a Sickle Cell charity.

"And I donated a £1,000 to the center, to their gymnastics program, because I did gymnastics when I was a child and they required updated gear," the artist told outlets.

Two years ago, Ezra Collective donated their prize money to the youth organization that supported their band, alongside other grassroots music organisations.

And 1994 winners M People donated their winnings to a multiple sclerosis charity after a acquaintance was identified with the illness.

"Receiving the award was quite enough," stated artist Heather Small. "The prize was the extra but we could do without the cherry, because we had the honor. So our victory affected somebody else's life."

Recently, the Music Venues Trust announced it had rescued a couple of local spots in south-east England, by placing them under public stewardship.

One venue in Southampton and the other in the city were acquired under the public acquisition program, which is backed by Arts Council England and supporters who purchase "shares" in the buildings.

Franklin Stewart
Franklin Stewart

A UK-based analyst and writer with over a decade of experience covering British economic trends and cultural developments.