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The musician donates twenty-five thousand pounds award winnings to independent concert halls

Sam Fender holding the award in his hometown
He won the Mercury Prize recently in Newcastle

The star has given the entirety of his twenty-five thousand pound honor cash to the Music Venues Trust, which operates to save the UK's small concert spaces.

The star was awarded the award on 16 October as his third album his work was named the best record of the past year.

Fender has decided to hand the money over to the MVT, in appreciation of the vital role local spots played in his early career.

"I couldn't be pursuing this success if it weren't for all the shows I played around the region, and elsewhere, when I was beginning," said the artist. "These venues are renowned, but they are struggling."

From early 2023 onward, over 150 of these spaces have shut down – roughly 16 percent of the whole industry in the UK.

Recently, top acts like Pulp, Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all supported the Music Venues Trust in its attempts to keep the scene afloat, by applying a small levy to their admission fees, which benefits smaller concert halls.

Fender also joined in, collecting in excess of £100,000 on his live tour to assist 38 small stages across Britain.

The money helped spaces that were confronting possible closure due to challenges stemming from flooding, fires and family tragedies, as well as regulatory hurdles, legal disputes and sound issues.

Some locations received monetary aid in improving amenities and sound and lighting systems that helped musicians and fans.

"The idea that funds from performances in major spaces helps the local stages, where it begins for performers like me, is just logical," the star has commented.

The band Pulp performing
Pulp are one of the many acts who gave their honor funds to non-profits

The musician is not the first artist to give his award winnings to good deeds.

When they earned the trophy in the year 1996 for their record their work, vocalist Cocker announced that the act would contribute their prize money to the charity War Child.

That year, musician Ms Dynamite shared her prize between multiple charities, including the children's charity and a charity for Sickle Cell.

"Additionally, I contributed a £1,000 to my local community centre, to their gymnastics program, because I did gymnastics when I was a child and they needed updated gear," Ms Dynamite explained to the media.

In recent years, the band gave their winnings to the youth organization that developed their act, alongside other independent music bodies.

And 1994 winners they donated their award to a multiple sclerosis charity after a close contact was diagnosed the disease.

"The victory was sufficient," said singer Heather Small. "The prize was the bonus but we didn't need the extra, because we had the cake. So our success affected the lives of others."

In the past week, the MVT announced it had rescued a couple of local spots in south-east England, by placing them under local control.

One venue in the city and the second in that location were bought under the community ownership initiative, which is backed by the arts council and enthusiasts who purchase "ownership units" in the buildings.

By

Karla Avila

Marcus is a seasoned gambling analyst with over a decade of experience reviewing online casinos and advocating for responsible gaming practices.

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