🔗 Share this article

Sam Fender has given the full amount of his £25,000 honor winnings to the MVT, which functions to protect the United Kingdom's grassroots music venues.

He was given the cheque on October 16 as his latest record the album was named the best record of the past year.

Fender has opted to donate the funds to the MVT, in appreciation of the vital role small stages played in his initial steps.

"As an artist would not have achieved what I am doing today if it wasn't for all the gigs I did around the area, and elsewhere, when I was just getting going," remarked the artist. "These spaces are iconic, but they are struggling."

Beginning in 2023, more than 150 of these spaces have shut down – about one-sixth of the whole industry in the UK.

In the last year, well-known musicians such as the band Pulp, Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Sheeran have all backed the Music Venues Trust in its initiatives to keep the scene afloat, by applying a small levy to their ticket costs, which benefits local stages.

Fender also took part, collecting more than £100,000 on his live tour to assist numerous grassroots venues across the UK.

The donation assisted locations that were facing possible closure due to difficulties stemming from floods, fires and family tragedies, as well as licensing issues, legal disputes and sound issues.

Other venues received funding support in modernizing infrastructure and technical equipment that positively impacted artists and audiences.

"The notion that revenue from concerts in large arenas supports the independent spots, where it kicks off for artists like me, is just logical," the star has commented.

He is among several artists to give his award funds to charitable organizations.

When Pulp won the award in the mid-90s for their release the album, lead singer the singer declared that the band would contribute their winnings to the organization War Child.

That year, artist Ms Dynamite divided her bounty between several charities, including the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell charity.

"And I donated a grand to my local community centre, to their classes, because I practiced gymnastics when I was a child and they required better apparatus," the artist explained to a publication.

Previously, the band contributed their winnings to the youth organization that nurtured their group, as well as other independent music bodies.

And the 1994 recipients the group donated their winnings to a charity for MS after a friend was found to have the condition.

"The victory was ample," remarked singer Heather Small. "The money was the cherry on top but we could do without the bonus, because we had the main prize. So our success impacted another person's life."

Recently, the Music Venues Trust announced it had saved several small stages in that region, by placing them under public stewardship.

One venue in the city and the second in Bristol were bought under the public acquisition initiative, which is backed by Arts Council England and music fans who acquire "ownership units" in the buildings.