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Sam Fender contributes £25,000 cash award to small live spaces

The artist receiving the award in the North East
He was awarded the Mercury Prize last month in Newcastle

The artist has donated the complete sum of his twenty-five thousand pound award cash to the MVT, which operates to protect the Britain's grassroots live music spots.

The star was awarded the award on October 16 as his third album the album was named the top album of the last 12 months.

He has opted to give the cash to the MVT, in recognition of the vital role local spots had in his beginning days.

"I personally couldn't be pursuing this success if it weren't for all the shows I played around the region, and beyond, when I was starting out," stated the artist. "These locations are legendary, but they are in difficulty."

From early 2023 onward, at least 150 of these spaces have permanently closed – roughly 16 percent of the whole industry in the UK.

Over the past year, top acts like Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Sheeran have all backed the MVT in its efforts to support the industry, by including a modest fee to their ticket costs, which goes to help local stages.

Sam Fender also joined in, generating in excess of £100,000 on his live tour to assist 38 small stages across the UK.

The donation assisted spaces that were dealing with potential shutdown due to challenges arising from flooding, fire incidents and bereavements, as well as permit problems, legal disputes and noise complaints.

Other venues were granted funding support in upgrading amenities and gear that positively impacted musicians and audiences.

"The idea that revenue from concerts in big venues backs the local stages, where it kicks off for artists like me, is just logical," the star has stated.

Pulp members performing
Pulp are one example who donated their award prize money to charity

Fender is not the first artist to contribute his honor prize money to good deeds.

Back when Pulp earned the prize in the year 1996 for their record their work, frontman Jarvis Cocker stated that the act would contribute their prize money to the charity War Child.

In 2002, musician the artist split her prize across a few charities, such as the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell organization.

"I also gave a grand to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics program, because I practiced gymnastics when I was younger and they required new equipment," Ms Dynamite told the media.

Previously, they gave their prize money to the youth organization that nurtured their band, alongside other grassroots music organisations.

Additionally 1994 winners M People gave their winnings to a charity for MS after a friend was identified with the illness.

"Receiving the award was ample," said vocalist the singer. "The prize was the bonus but we could do without the bonus, because we had the honor. So our victory touched somebody else's life."

Last week, the MVT revealed it had rescued several local spots in south-east England, by bringing them into public stewardship.

The Joiners in that area and The Croft in the city were purchased under the Own Our Venues initiative, which is funded by a national body and music fans who acquire "stakes" in the venues.

By

Angel Thompson

Maya Chen is a blockchain developer and tech writer with over 8 years of experience in fintech innovation and decentralized systems.

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