🔗 Share this article Sam Fender donates twenty-five thousand pounds Mercury Prize to small live spaces He received the honor in October in the North East The artist has donated the entirety of his twenty-five thousand pound award prize money to the MVT, which functions to save the Britain's small concert spaces. Fender was given the award on 16 October as his new release his work was declared the best record of the last 12 months. He has decided to hand the money over to the MVT, in recognition of the vital role grassroots venues played in his beginning days. "As an artist would not have achieved my current career if it hadn't been for all the gigs I played around the region, and further afield, when I was starting out," stated Fender. "These spaces are renowned, but they are struggling." From early 2023 onward, over 150 of these spaces have shut down – about 16 percent of the whole industry in the UK. In the last year, major artists like the band Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all backed the Music Venues Trust in its initiatives to support the industry, by including a small levy to their ticket costs, which goes to help smaller concert halls. Sam Fender also participated, raising in excess of £100,000 on his recent tour to assist numerous small stages across the UK. The money helped venues that were dealing with possible closure due to issues caused by floods, fires and personal losses, as well as regulatory hurdles, legal disputes and sound issues. Other venues received funding support in improving amenities and technical equipment that helped musicians and fans. "The concept that money from performances in major spaces backs the independent spots, where it kicks off for musicians like me, is just logical," Fender has said. Pulp are one of the many acts who donated their honor winnings to charity Fender is far from the only musician to contribute his honor funds to good deeds. Back when the band received the award in the year 1996 for their release their work, vocalist Cocker stated that the act would give their prize money to the non-profit War Child. During 2002, rapper and singer Ms Dynamite divided her bounty among multiple good causes, such as the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell organization. "Additionally, I contributed a £1,000 to the center, to their classes, because I practiced gymnastics when I was a child and they required updated gear," Ms Dynamite told outlets. Previously, they contributed their prize money to the local youth club that developed their act, in addition to other local music groups. Also the 1994 recipients they contributed their award to a charity for MS after a acquaintance was identified with the illness. "Receiving the award was sufficient," remarked artist Heather Small. "The cash was the bonus but we could do without the bonus, because we had the cake. So our victory affected another person's life." In the past week, the Music Venues Trust revealed it had protected several local spots in south-east England, by transferring them to local control. One venue in the city and the other in Bristol were bought under the Own Our Venues initiative, which is backed by a national body and music fans who acquire "shares" in the buildings.