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Wednesday, October 14, 2026
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The artist contributes twenty-five thousand pounds award winnings to grassroots concert halls

Sam Fender holding his trophy in Newcastle
The musician received the prestigious award recently in the North East

The star has handed over the full amount of his £25k Mercury Prize cash to the MVT, which operates to save the Britain's grassroots concert spaces.

The star was awarded the award on 16 October as his third album his work was chosen as the outstanding release of the past year.

The musician has chosen to give the cash to the trust, in recognition of the crucial part local spots fulfilled in his beginning days.

"I personally couldn't be pursuing my current career if it wasn't for all the performances I performed around the area, and further afield, when I was beginning," remarked Sam Fender. "These venues are renowned, but they are facing challenges."

From early 2023 onward, more than 150 of these locations have shut down – approximately one-sixth of the total UK scene.

In the last year, top acts such as Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Sheeran have all backed the trust in its attempts to support the industry, by adding a modest fee to their admission fees, which goes to help smaller concert halls.

He also participated, collecting more than £100,000 on his 2024 arena tour to support numerous small stages across England, Scotland, and Wales.

The donation supported locations that were confronting potential shutdown due to challenges stemming from floods, blazes and personal losses, as well as regulatory hurdles, conflicts and noise complaints.

Some locations obtained financial assistance in upgrading facilities and sound and lighting systems that directly benefitted performers and audiences.

"The concept that funds from shows in large arenas supports the local stages, where it begins for performers like me, is just logical," the star has said.

The band Pulp on stage
Pulp are one of the many acts who contributed their Mercury Prize prize money to charity

Fender is not the first artist to donate his award winnings to worthy causes.

When the band earned the award in the year 1996 for their album their work, frontman Jarvis Cocker announced that the band would give their prize money to the organization the charity.

During 2002, musician she divided her award across several organizations, including the children's charity and a Sickle Cell organization.

"And I contributed a grand to my local community centre, to their classes, because I practiced gymnastics when I was growing up and they needed new equipment," she shared with the media.

Two years ago, the band gave their funds to the community center that developed their band, alongside other grassroots music organisations.

And 1994 winners M People donated their prize to a MS organization after a close contact was found to have the illness.

"Winning was quite enough," said artist Small. "The prize was the extra but we could do without the bonus, because we had the main prize. So our winning impacted another person's life."

In the past week, the trust shared it had protected two grassroots venues in the South East, by transferring them to public stewardship.

The first in the city and the other in Bristol were bought under the Own Our Venues initiative, which is supported by Arts Council England and enthusiasts who acquire "ownership units" in the venues.

About the author

Jeremy Tucker

Maya is a tech journalist and futurist with over a decade of experience covering AI and digital ecosystems.

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