Skip to content
Global Edition

The musician contributes £25,000 award winnings to grassroots concert halls

The artist accepting Mercury Prize in Newcastle
The musician received the prestigious award last month in Newcastle

The artist has given the full amount of his twenty-five thousand pound honor cash to the trust for venues, which operates to save the Britain's independent concert spaces.

The star was awarded the prize on 16 October as his new release the album was declared the outstanding release of the last 12 months.

The musician has decided to give the cash to the Music Venues Trust, in recognition of the crucial part small stages had in his early career.

"I would not have achieved what I am doing today if it hadn't been for all the shows I did around the North East, and elsewhere, when I was starting out," said Sam Fender. "These locations are legendary, but they are facing challenges."

Beginning in 2023, at least 150 of these spaces have permanently closed – roughly 16% of the entire UK sector.

In the last year, well-known musicians such as the band Pulp, Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all backed the MVT in its initiatives to keep the scene afloat, by applying a minor surcharge to their ticket prices, which benefits local stages.

He also joined in, generating in excess of £100,000 on his live tour to assist thirty-eight grassroots venues across England, Scotland, and Wales.

The donation assisted spaces that were dealing with imminent closure due to challenges caused by water damage, blazes and bereavements, as well as permit problems, conflicts and neighbor objections.

Additional spaces obtained monetary aid in improving facilities and technical equipment that directly benefitted musicians and fans.

"The idea that revenue from concerts in major spaces helps the smaller venues, where it kicks off for musicians like me, is just logical," Sam Fender has commented.

Pulp in concert
Pulp are one example who contributed their honor funds to good causes

Fender is among several artists to contribute his honor prize money to worthy causes.

When they won the award in the mid-90s for their album Different Class, frontman the singer stated that the group would contribute their winnings to the non-profit War Child.

In 2002, artist she split her bounty across a few good causes, like the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell charity.

"I also donated a £1,000 to Highgate Newtown, to their classes, because I trained in gymnastics when I was growing up and they required new equipment," the artist shared with the media.

Two years ago, the band donated their prize money to the community center that developed their group, in addition to other independent music bodies.

Additionally 1994 winners the group contributed their award to a multiple sclerosis charity after a acquaintance was identified with the disease.

"Winning was sufficient," said vocalist Small. "The money was the extra but we could do without the cherry, because we had the main prize. So our success touched somebody else's life."

In the past week, the trust shared it had protected a couple of grassroots venues in south-east England, by transferring them to local control.

The Joiners in that area and the other in Bristol were bought under the public acquisition initiative, which is backed by the arts council and enthusiasts who acquire "shares" in the venues.

By

Sherry Barnett

Award-winning journalist and foreign correspondent with over 15 years of experience covering global conflicts and diplomatic affairs across five continents.

Global Edition

Type to search articles.