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The musician gives his £25k prize cash award to small live spaces

The artist receiving his trophy in the North East
The musician won the prestigious award recently in his hometown

The star has handed over the full amount of his £25,000 award cash to the MVT, which works to preserve the United Kingdom's grassroots live music spots.

Fender was awarded the prize on mid-October as his new release the album was named the best record of the previous year.

Fender has decided to donate the funds to the Music Venues Trust, in appreciation of the vital role small stages fulfilled in his initial steps.

"I would not have achieved this success if it weren't for all the performances I performed around the region, and further afield, when I was just getting going," said Sam Fender. "These spaces are iconic, but they are in difficulty."

From early 2023 onward, at least 150 of these venues have ceased operations – approximately 16 percent of the entire UK sector.

In the last year, major artists such as Pulp, the group Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all backed the Music Venues Trust in its initiatives to support the industry, by applying a modest fee to their ticket costs, which benefits smaller concert halls.

Sam Fender also participated, generating in excess of £100,000 on his live tour to assist numerous local spots across England, Scotland, and Wales.

The money supported venues that were dealing with possible closure due to difficulties caused by water damage, fires and bereavements, as well as licensing issues, conflicts and sound issues.

Some locations received funding support in upgrading amenities and technical equipment that positively impacted musicians and concertgoers.

"The notion that funds from performances in major spaces backs the smaller venues, where it begins for musicians like me, is just logical," Sam Fender has commented.

The band Pulp on stage
Pulp are one of the many acts who contributed their award winnings to non-profits

Fender is among several artists to donate his award prize money to good deeds.

Back when the band earned the trophy in the year 1996 for their record the album, frontman the singer declared that the band would give their cash to the charity War Child.

During 2002, artist she shared her award across a few organizations, like the NSPCC and a charity for Sickle Cell.

"Additionally, I contributed a thousand pounds to Highgate Newtown, to their classes, because I trained in gymnastics when I was growing up and they required better apparatus," she shared with the media.

Previously, they donated their funds to the youth organization that developed their group, as well as other local music groups.

And 1994 winners the group gave their prize to a charity for MS after a close contact was identified with the illness.

"Winning was ample," remarked artist Small. "The prize was the extra but we didn't require the bonus, because we had the main prize. So our winning touched the lives of others."

In the past week, the MVT shared it had saved two grassroots venues in south-east England, by transferring them to local control.

One venue in that area and The Croft in that location were purchased under the public acquisition program, which is funded by Arts Council England and supporters who buy "stakes" in the properties.

By

Amanda Craig

Elara is a digital workspace consultant with over a decade of experience in remote team optimization and productivity tech.

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