Sam Fender donates £25,000 Mercury Prize to small concert halls

Sam Fender accepting his trophy in the North East
He won the honor last month in the North East

The star has donated the full amount of his twenty-five thousand pound honor prize money to the Music Venues Trust, which operates to preserve the United Kingdom's grassroots live music spots.

Fender was awarded the prize on 16 October as his new release the album was named the top album of the previous year.

The musician has chosen to give the cash to the Music Venues Trust, in acknowledgment of the vital role local spots fulfilled in his early career.

"I personally would not have achieved this success if it wasn't for all the gigs I did around the region, and further afield, when I was beginning," remarked Sam Fender. "These locations are renowned, but they are struggling."

Since the start of 2023, over 150 of these spaces have ceased operations – about 16 percent of the total UK scene.

In the last year, well-known musicians such as Pulp, Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all aided the trust in its attempts to help venues survive, by adding a modest fee to their ticket prices, which supports smaller concert halls.

Fender also joined in, collecting in excess of £100,000 on his live tour to assist thirty-eight small stages across the UK.

The donation supported venues that were facing potential shutdown due to issues caused by water damage, fires and personal losses, as well as licensing issues, court cases and sound issues.

Additional spaces obtained monetary aid in improving amenities and technical equipment that positively impacted artists and fans.

"The idea that funds from performances in major spaces supports the independent spots, where it all starts for musicians like me, is just common sense," the star has commented.

Pulp performing
The group are among the artists who contributed their honor prize money to good causes

The musician is not the first artist to give his honor funds to worthy causes.

In the band won the trophy in the mid-90s for their album their work, lead singer Jarvis Cocker declared that the act would give their prize money to the charity War Child.

In 2002, musician she divided her award across multiple good causes, like the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell organization.

"I also donated a £1,000 to Highgate Newtown, to their classes, because I did gymnastics when I was a child and they required updated gear," the artist explained to outlets.

Two years ago, the band donated their funds to the youth organization that developed their act, alongside other local music groups.

Additionally winners that year they contributed their winnings to a multiple sclerosis charity after a close contact was diagnosed the disease.

"The victory was ample," remarked singer Heather Small. "The money was the extra but we could do without the bonus, because we had the cake. So our victory impacted another person's life."

In the past week, the Music Venues Trust announced it had saved several small stages in that region, by placing them under community ownership.

One venue in the city and the second in that location were acquired under the Own Our Venues program, which is funded by Arts Council England and supporters who acquire "stakes" in the venues.

Teresa Spears
Teresa Spears

Helena Voss is a financial strategist and author with over 15 years of experience in wealth management.