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The artist donates his £25k prize Mercury Prize to independent live spaces

The singer accepting Mercury Prize in Newcastle
He was awarded the Mercury Prize last month in his hometown

The star has handed over the complete sum of his £25k Mercury Prize cash to the trust for venues, which works to preserve the UK's small music venues.

The star was given the prize on 16 October as his third album People Watching was declared the best record of the previous year.

The musician has chosen to give the cash to the MVT, in acknowledgment of the essential function small stages had in his initial steps.

"I couldn't be pursuing my current career if it wasn't for all the gigs I performed around the North East, and elsewhere, when I was just getting going," stated Fender. "These locations are renowned, but they are in difficulty."

Since the start of 2023, more than 150 of these locations have permanently closed – roughly one-sixth of the entire UK sector.

Recently, top acts including the band Pulp, the group Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all backed the trust in its efforts to keep the scene afloat, by applying a small levy to their ticket prices, which goes to help smaller concert halls.

Fender also participated, generating more than £100,000 on his recent tour to assist 38 local spots across the UK.

The donation assisted locations that were confronting potential shutdown due to challenges stemming from water damage, fires and personal losses, as well as permit problems, conflicts and sound issues.

Additional spaces received monetary aid in modernizing facilities and technical equipment that positively impacted musicians and concertgoers.

"The concept that money from concerts in major spaces helps the smaller venues, where it all starts for performers like me, is just common sense," Sam Fender has said.

Pulp members on stage
They are one of the many acts who contributed their award funds to charity

He is not the first artist to donate his Mercury Prize funds to worthy causes.

When the band earned the award in the mid-90s for their release the album, vocalist the singer stated that the band would contribute their prize money to the charity War Child.

That year, rapper and singer the artist divided her bounty between multiple charities, such as the NSPCC and a charity for Sickle Cell.

"And I gave a thousand pounds to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics program, because I did gymnastics when I was a child and they required updated gear," Ms Dynamite shared with outlets.

Two years ago, Ezra Collective donated their prize money to the youth organization that developed their group, as well as other independent music bodies.

Additionally the 1994 recipients they gave their award to a multiple sclerosis charity after a close contact was diagnosed the disease.

"Receiving the award was ample," remarked vocalist Heather Small. "The money was the extra but we didn't require the bonus, because we had the honor. So our success affected the lives of others."

Last week, the MVT announced it had saved a couple of grassroots venues in that region, by bringing them into local control.

The first in that area and the second in Bristol were acquired under the public acquisition scheme, which is supported by a national body and enthusiasts who purchase "shares" in the buildings.

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Karina Smith

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