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Monday, October 12, 2026
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Sam Fender contributes twenty-five thousand pounds award winnings to independent music venues

The singer holding the award in his hometown
The musician was awarded the Mercury Prize recently in the North East

The star has given the complete sum of his twenty-five thousand pound honor winnings to the trust for venues, which operates to save the UK's independent live music spots.

Fender was presented with the prize on mid-October as his third album the album was named the outstanding release of the past year.

Fender has opted to hand the money over to the MVT, in acknowledgment of the vital role local spots played in his initial steps.

"I personally couldn't be pursuing my current career if it wasn't for all the gigs I performed around the area, and further afield, when I was beginning," stated Sam Fender. "These spaces are legendary, but they are struggling."

Beginning in 2023, more than 150 of these spaces have shut down – approximately 16 percent of the whole industry in the UK.

Over the past year, well-known musicians such as Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all aided the MVT in its efforts to support the industry, by adding a small levy to their ticket costs, which benefits independent venues.

Fender also joined in, collecting in excess of £100,000 on his recent tour to support 38 local spots across Britain.

The money supported locations that were facing possible closure due to issues arising from water damage, fire incidents and family tragedies, as well as permit problems, court cases and neighbor objections.

Additional spaces were granted funding support in improving facilities and gear that positively impacted performers and audiences.

"The idea that money from performances in large arenas supports the smaller venues, where it kicks off for performers like me, is just common sense," Sam Fender has said.

Pulp members in concert
The group are one of the many acts who contributed their Mercury Prize winnings to non-profits

Fender is not the first artist to give his honor prize money to good deeds.

When the band won the prize in 1996 for their release the album, frontman Cocker stated that the band would contribute their winnings to the charity War Child.

During 2002, musician the artist split her award among several good causes, including the NSPCC and a charity for Sickle Cell.

"I also contributed a thousand pounds to the center, to their gymnastics class, because I trained in gymnastics when I was younger and they lacked new equipment," the artist told a publication.

In recent years, they donated their funds to the local youth club that developed their band, in addition to other local music groups.

Also the 1994 recipients they gave their prize to a MS organization after a close contact was identified with the illness.

"Winning was quite enough," said vocalist Small. "The prize was the cherry on top but we didn't need the extra, because we had the honor. So our winning affected the lives of others."

Recently, the MVT shared it had saved several local spots in that region, by placing them under local control.

The Joiners in that area and the other in that location were purchased under the public acquisition program, which is backed by the arts council and music fans who purchase "ownership units" in the properties.

JP
Written by

Jason Palmer

A seasoned financial analyst with over 15 years of experience in precious metals and investment portfolio management.

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