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The musician contributes twenty-five thousand pounds award winnings to small concert halls

The artist accepting his trophy in Newcastle
He received the Mercury Prize in October in his hometown

The star has given the full amount of his twenty-five thousand pound award winnings to the MVT, which functions to preserve the Britain's small music venues.

The star was given the prize on October 16 as his new release his work was named the top album of the past year.

He has chosen to give the cash to the trust, in recognition of the vital role local spots played in his initial steps.

"As an artist wouldn't be doing this success if it hadn't been for all the performances I performed around the North East, and elsewhere, when I was starting out," remarked the artist. "These venues are renowned, but they are facing challenges."

From early 2023 onward, at least 150 of these venues have permanently closed – about one-sixth of the whole industry in the UK.

Recently, well-known musicians including the band Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Sheeran have all supported the MVT in its initiatives to help venues survive, by applying a small levy to their ticket prices, which goes to help smaller concert halls.

Sam Fender also participated, collecting over £100k on his 2024 arena tour to assist numerous grassroots venues across England, Scotland, and Wales.

The money assisted locations that were facing potential shutdown due to difficulties caused by flooding, fires and personal losses, as well as permit problems, legal disputes and sound issues.

Additional spaces obtained funding support in improving amenities and technical equipment that positively impacted musicians and fans.

"The concept that money from shows in large arenas supports the smaller venues, where it all starts for performers like me, is just logical," Sam Fender has commented.

Pulp in concert
Pulp are one example who donated their Mercury Prize prize money to charity

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

In Pulp earned the prize in 1996 for their album Different Class, frontman Jarvis Cocker announced that the group would contribute their cash to the non-profit the charity.

During 2002, artist the artist divided her prize across several good causes, including the children's charity and a charity for Sickle Cell.

"I also gave a grand to the center, to their classes, because I did gymnastics when I was a child and they lacked better apparatus," she shared with a publication.

Previously, the band donated their prize money to the local youth club that supported their act, in addition to other independent music bodies.

And winners that year M People contributed their award to a multiple sclerosis charity after a close contact was diagnosed the condition.

"Winning was sufficient," stated vocalist Heather Small. "The prize was the cherry on top but we could do without the bonus, because we had the cake. So our success impacted another person's life."

In the past week, the MVT shared it had saved a couple of small stages in south-east England, by bringing them into local control.

The Joiners in Southampton and the second in Bristol were bought under the Own Our Venues initiative, which is supported by a national body and music fans who acquire "stakes" in the buildings.

By

Christina Smith

Techstrateeg en contentmaker met een passie voor disruptieve technologieën en duurzame digitale transformatie.

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