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The musician donates £25,000 Mercury Prize to small concert halls

The singer holding Mercury Prize in his hometown
Sam Fender won the honor last month in his hometown

The star has given the full amount of his twenty-five thousand pound honor prize money to the trust for venues, which operates to preserve the Britain's grassroots music venues.

Fender was presented with the award on mid-October as his third album People Watching was declared the outstanding release of the last 12 months.

The musician has opted to hand the money over to the MVT, in acknowledgment of the crucial part local spots had in his initial steps.

"I couldn't be pursuing my current career if it hadn't been for all the gigs I performed around the region, and further afield, when I was beginning," stated Fender. "These spaces are renowned, but they are in difficulty."

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

In the last year, well-known musicians such as Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all aided the Music Venues Trust in its initiatives to keep the scene afloat, by applying a minor surcharge to their admission fees, which benefits smaller concert halls.

Sam Fender also took part, generating more than £100,000 on his recent tour to assist thirty-eight grassroots venues across the UK.

The donation helped venues that were confronting potential shutdown due to difficulties caused by floods, fires and family tragedies, as well as licensing issues, court cases and neighbor objections.

Additional spaces were granted funding support in improving infrastructure and gear that directly benefitted performers and audiences.

"The notion that money from shows in major spaces backs the smaller venues, where it kicks off for artists like me, is just sensible," Fender has stated.

Pulp members on stage
The group are among the artists who donated their honor winnings to charity

The musician is among several artists to donate his award funds to good deeds.

Back when they received the prize in 1996 for their album the album, vocalist Jarvis Cocker announced that the group would contribute their cash to the charity War Child.

During 2002, rapper and singer she shared her prize across multiple organizations, such as the children's charity and a charity for Sickle Cell.

"Additionally, I donated a £1,000 to the center, to their gymnastics program, because I trained in gymnastics when I was growing up and they required updated gear," Ms Dynamite explained to the media.

In recent years, Ezra Collective gave their winnings to the community center that nurtured their act, as well as other grassroots music organisations.

Additionally winners that year the group contributed their prize to a charity for MS after a friend was diagnosed the illness.

"The victory was ample," said artist Heather Small. "The money was the bonus but we didn't require the extra, because we had the cake. So our victory touched the lives of others."

Last week, the MVT shared it had rescued two grassroots venues in south-east England, by bringing them into community ownership.

The Joiners in that area and The Croft in Bristol were acquired under the community ownership initiative, which is supported by a national body and enthusiasts who acquire "stakes" in the properties.

The writer

Manuel Mcdonald

A seasoned gaming enthusiast with over a decade of experience in reviewing online casinos and slots.

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