Sam Fender contributes £25,000 award winnings to independent concert halls
The artist has given the entirety of his £25k honor prize money to the trust for venues, which functions to save the United Kingdom's small concert spaces.
He was given the award on October 16 as his third album the album was chosen as the best record of the last 12 months.
He has decided to hand the money over to the trust, in acknowledgment of the vital role grassroots venues fulfilled in his early career.
"As an artist couldn't be pursuing what I am doing today if it wasn't for all the shows I did around the area, and beyond, when I was beginning," stated Fender. "These venues are renowned, but they are in difficulty."
From early 2023 onward, over 150 of these locations have permanently closed – about 16% of the entire UK sector.
Recently, well-known musicians like Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Sheeran have all supported the MVT in its attempts to support the industry, by including a modest fee to their ticket prices, which supports independent venues.
Sam Fender also participated, generating in excess of £100,000 on his live tour to help thirty-eight small stages across England, Scotland, and Wales.
The donation supported venues that were facing potential shutdown due to issues caused by floods, fire incidents and bereavements, as well as licensing issues, court cases and noise complaints.
Additional spaces received funding support in improving facilities and gear that positively impacted artists and audiences.
"The concept that money from concerts in big venues helps the local stages, where it all starts for musicians like me, is just common sense," the star has said.
He is far from the only musician to contribute his honor winnings to good deeds.
When the band received the prize in the mid-90s for their album their work, lead singer Jarvis Cocker announced that the act would give their cash to the non-profit the charity.
In 2002, musician she shared her prize between a few charities, such as the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell charity.
"Additionally, I contributed a £1,000 to the center, to their gymnastics program, because I trained in gymnastics when I was younger and they required better apparatus," the artist told the media.
Two years ago, Ezra Collective gave their funds to the local youth club that nurtured their act, alongside other independent music bodies.
Additionally winners that year M People donated their prize to a charity for MS after a acquaintance was found to have the disease.
"Receiving the award was sufficient," said singer Small. "The cash was the bonus but we didn't need the bonus, because we had the main prize. So our winning impacted another person's life."
Recently, the Music Venues Trust shared it had rescued several small stages in south-east England, by placing them under local control.
The Joiners in that area and the second in the city were bought under the Own Our Venues program, which is backed by a national body and enthusiasts who buy "ownership units" in the properties.