🔗 Share this article

Sam Fender has donated the complete sum of his £25k Mercury Prize cash to the MVT, which functions to save the United Kingdom's independent concert spaces.

He was given the award on 16 October as his new release his work was chosen as the top album of the last 12 months.

He has opted to donate the funds to the MVT, in recognition of the crucial part grassroots venues had in his initial steps.

"I wouldn't be doing my current career if it wasn't for all the shows I performed around the region, and beyond, when I was just getting going," said Sam Fender. "These locations are renowned, but they are facing challenges."

From early 2023 onward, at least 150 of these spaces have ceased operations – about 16% of the whole industry in the UK.

Recently, major artists such as Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all backed the MVT in its initiatives to keep the scene afloat, by including a minor surcharge to their admission fees, which benefits independent venues.

Fender also joined in, generating more than £100,000 on his 2024 arena tour to help 38 grassroots venues across England, Scotland, and Wales.

These funds assisted locations that were facing possible closure due to difficulties caused by floods, blazes and personal losses, as well as permit problems, legal disputes and neighbor objections.

Other venues received funding support in modernizing infrastructure and technical equipment that directly benefitted artists and concertgoers.

"The idea that money from performances in large arenas helps the independent spots, where it begins for artists like me, is just logical," the star has said.

Fender is far from the only musician to donate his honor funds to good deeds.

When Pulp won the award in the year 1996 for their album their work, frontman Jarvis Cocker announced that the group would contribute their cash to the non-profit War Child.

During 2002, rapper and singer the artist shared her bounty across several good causes, including the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell organization.

"I also donated a grand to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics class, because I practiced gymnastics when I was a child and they needed updated gear," the artist explained to a publication.

Previously, the band donated their prize money to the local youth club that nurtured their group, as well as other independent music bodies.

Also the 1994 recipients they donated their award to a charity for MS after a close contact was diagnosed the disease.

"The victory was ample," remarked artist the singer. "The cash was the extra but we could do without the extra, because we had the cake. So our victory impacted somebody else's life."

Recently, the MVT announced it had protected several grassroots venues in south-east England, by transferring them to community ownership.

One venue in Southampton and the other in Bristol were purchased under the community ownership scheme, which is supported by the arts council and music fans who purchase "shares" in the buildings.