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Saturday, October 10, 2026
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Sam Fender gives £25,000 Mercury Prize to independent concert halls

The artist receiving Mercury Prize in the North East
He won the prestigious award last month in his hometown

The artist has donated the full amount of his £25k honor prize money to the MVT, which works to save the Britain's small concert spaces.

Fender was given the award on 16 October as his new release his work was chosen as the outstanding release of the previous year.

He has chosen to give the cash to the Music Venues Trust, in acknowledgment of the vital role local spots had in his initial steps.

"I personally would not have achieved my current career if it hadn't been for all the gigs I did around the area, and elsewhere, when I was just getting going," stated the artist. "These spaces are legendary, but they are struggling."

From early 2023 onward, more than 150 of these venues have shut down – approximately one-sixth of the whole industry in the UK.

Over the past year, top acts like the band Pulp, Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all aided the Music Venues Trust in its attempts to support the industry, by applying a modest fee to their ticket prices, which goes to help local stages.

Sam Fender also took part, generating more than £100,000 on his 2024 arena tour to help numerous local spots across Britain.

The money assisted spaces that were confronting possible closure due to challenges caused by floods, fires and personal losses, as well as permit problems, legal disputes and noise complaints.

Some locations were granted monetary aid in modernizing infrastructure and sound and lighting systems that directly benefitted performers and fans.

"The idea that revenue from concerts in large arenas helps the smaller venues, where it begins for artists like me, is just common sense," the star has said.

Pulp members performing
Pulp are among the artists who donated their honor winnings to non-profits

The musician is among several artists to contribute his honor prize money to worthy causes.

Back when they received the trophy in the year 1996 for their release their work, vocalist Jarvis Cocker declared that the group would donate their prize money to the organization the charity.

That year, rapper and singer Ms Dynamite shared her prize between several organizations, such as the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell charity.

"And I gave a thousand pounds to the center, to their gymnastics program, because I practiced gymnastics when I was growing up and they needed better apparatus," Ms Dynamite told outlets.

Two years ago, the band contributed their prize money to the youth organization that developed their act, as well as other independent music bodies.

Additionally the 1994 recipients the group donated their award to a charity for MS after a close contact was diagnosed the condition.

"The victory was ample," remarked vocalist Heather Small. "The money was the bonus but we didn't need the cherry, because we had the cake. So our success touched the lives of others."

Recently, the trust announced it had protected several small stages in that region, by placing them under community ownership.

The first in the city and the second in that location were purchased under the community ownership scheme, which is funded by the arts council and supporters who acquire "shares" in the properties.

KB
The writer

Kathryn Brock

A cybersecurity specialist with over a decade of experience in digital forensics and threat analysis, passionate about educating on tech safety.

IonVault UK

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