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

Sam Fender receiving Mercury Prize in Newcastle
The musician was awarded the Mercury Prize last month in the North East

The star has handed over the entirety of his £25,000 honor prize money to the trust for venues, which operates to protect the Britain's independent concert spaces.

He was awarded the prize on mid-October as his new release People Watching was chosen as the top album of the last 12 months.

He has chosen to hand the money over to the MVT, in acknowledgment of the crucial part local spots played in his beginning days.

"As an artist would not have achieved this success if it weren't for all the shows I played around the area, and beyond, when I was beginning," said Fender. "These locations are renowned, but they are in difficulty."

Beginning in 2023, at least 150 of these venues have ceased operations – roughly one-sixth of the total UK scene.

In the last year, major artists including Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all aided the MVT in its initiatives to support the industry, by including a minor surcharge to their admission fees, which benefits smaller concert halls.

He also participated, collecting over £100k on his live tour to support numerous grassroots venues across Britain.

The money assisted locations that were confronting imminent closure due to issues stemming from water damage, blazes and personal losses, as well as regulatory hurdles, court cases and sound issues.

Additional spaces obtained financial assistance in modernizing infrastructure and gear that helped artists and concertgoers.

"The idea that money from concerts in big venues backs the independent spots, where it all starts for artists like me, is just logical," Fender has stated.

Pulp members on stage
Pulp are one example who donated their award funds to non-profits

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

In the band won the award in the year 1996 for their record the album, lead singer Jarvis Cocker declared that the band would give their cash to the organization War Child.

During 2002, musician the artist shared her prize across a few good causes, including the children's charity and a Sickle Cell organization.

"Additionally, I contributed a thousand pounds to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics program, because I trained in gymnastics when I was growing up and they required new equipment," the artist explained to the media.

Two years ago, they gave their winnings to the youth organization that developed their band, alongside other grassroots music organisations.

Additionally the 1994 recipients the group contributed their award to a multiple sclerosis charity after a friend was diagnosed the condition.

"Winning was quite enough," said artist the singer. "The prize was the extra but we could do without the bonus, because we had the main prize. So our victory affected another person's life."

Last week, the MVT shared it had saved a couple of local spots in south-east England, by transferring them to public stewardship.

The Joiners in that area and The Croft in Bristol were purchased under the community ownership initiative, which is supported by Arts Council England and music fans who buy "shares" in the venues.

BS
By

Brooke Stewart

A film historian and critic with a passion for preserving and celebrating classic cinema from the 20th century.

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