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Monday, October 12, 2026
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The musician donates £25,000 cash award to grassroots music venues

Sam Fender accepting Mercury Prize in the North East
Sam Fender was awarded the honor recently in Newcastle

The star has donated the complete sum of his £25,000 award winnings to the trust for venues, which operates to protect the Britain's independent concert spaces.

The star was presented with the cheque on mid-October as his latest record his work was declared the best record of the past year.

He has opted to give the cash to the MVT, in recognition of the essential function local spots fulfilled in his early career.

"I wouldn't be doing what I am doing today if it hadn't been for all the performances I did around the North East, and beyond, when I was starting out," stated Sam Fender. "These spaces are iconic, but they are facing challenges."

Since the start of 2023, more than 150 of these locations have ceased operations – roughly one-sixth of the total UK scene.

In the last year, well-known musicians like Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all supported the MVT in its initiatives to help venues survive, by applying a minor surcharge to their ticket costs, which goes to help smaller concert halls.

Sam Fender also joined in, generating more than £100,000 on his 2024 arena tour to help 38 small stages across Britain.

The money supported spaces that were facing imminent closure due to issues arising from floods, blazes and family tragedies, as well as permit problems, legal disputes and neighbor objections.

Other venues obtained funding support in upgrading infrastructure and technical equipment that positively impacted musicians and fans.

"The notion that money from concerts in big venues helps the smaller venues, where it kicks off for musicians like me, is just logical," Fender has said.

The band Pulp performing
Pulp are one of the many acts who contributed their honor winnings to good causes

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

When Pulp won the award in 1996 for their album the album, vocalist Cocker stated that the group would give their cash to the charity the charity.

In 2002, musician Ms Dynamite divided her bounty among multiple good causes, including the children's charity and a charity for Sickle Cell.

"Additionally, I gave a £1,000 to Highgate Newtown, to their classes, because I practiced gymnastics when I was a child and they required updated gear," she told outlets.

In recent years, Ezra Collective gave their funds to the youth organization that developed their band, alongside other grassroots music organisations.

Also 1994 winners the group gave their winnings to a multiple sclerosis charity after a acquaintance was diagnosed the illness.

"The victory was sufficient," remarked vocalist the singer. "The prize was the extra but we didn't need the bonus, because we had the cake. So our winning affected the lives of others."

Recently, the trust revealed it had rescued several small stages in south-east England, by placing them under community ownership.

One venue in Southampton and the other in that location were purchased under the public acquisition initiative, which is backed by a national body and enthusiasts who purchase "stakes" in the properties.

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The writer

Derek Jackson

A seasoned sports analyst and betting strategist with over a decade of experience in UK and international markets.

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