Skip to content
Netra Solutions

The artist donates £25,000 Mercury Prize to independent concert halls

The artist accepting Mercury Prize in the North East
The musician received the honor recently in his hometown

The star has given the full amount of his twenty-five thousand pound award cash to the trust for venues, which operates to save the Britain's grassroots live music spots.

He was given the cheque on October 16 as his third album the album was declared the top album of the last 12 months.

He has decided to hand the money over to the MVT, in acknowledgment of the vital role small stages had in his beginning days.

"I wouldn't be doing this success if it wasn't for all the shows I played around the region, and elsewhere, when I was just getting going," stated Sam Fender. "These locations are renowned, but they are struggling."

From early 2023 onward, more than 150 of these spaces have ceased operations – approximately 16% of the entire UK sector.

In the last year, major artists including the band Pulp, the group Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all aided the Music Venues Trust in its efforts to support the industry, by applying a modest fee to their ticket costs, which goes to help local stages.

Fender also joined in, generating over £100k on his live tour to help thirty-eight local spots across England, Scotland, and Wales.

These funds supported spaces that were facing potential shutdown due to difficulties stemming from flooding, blazes and personal losses, as well as permit problems, legal disputes and sound issues.

Additional spaces received funding support in modernizing infrastructure and sound and lighting systems that directly benefitted musicians and concertgoers.

"The concept that funds from performances in large arenas helps the local stages, where it kicks off for performers like me, is just common sense," the star has said.

The band Pulp performing
The group are one example who contributed their Mercury Prize prize money to good causes

Fender is far from the only musician to donate his award funds to charitable organizations.

When the band earned the trophy in the year 1996 for their release their work, vocalist Jarvis Cocker announced that the band would donate their winnings to the charity War Child.

In 2002, rapper and singer the artist split her award across multiple organizations, including the children's charity and a Sickle Cell charity.

"And I contributed a £1,000 to the center, to their gymnastics class, because I practiced gymnastics when I was growing up and they needed updated gear," Ms Dynamite shared with the media.

In recent years, Ezra Collective contributed their winnings to the local youth club that nurtured their act, alongside other independent music bodies.

Additionally 1994 winners they contributed their prize to a multiple sclerosis charity after a acquaintance was identified with the disease.

"The victory was sufficient," stated singer Small. "The prize was the bonus but we could do without the extra, because we had the cake. So our winning impacted somebody else's life."

Last week, the Music Venues Trust revealed it had rescued two local spots in that region, by bringing them into community ownership.

The Joiners in that area and The Croft in the city were purchased under the Own Our Venues initiative, which is backed by a national body and supporters who purchase "ownership units" in the properties.

TH
About the author

Teresa Harvey

Liam Carter is a technology consultant with over 15 years of experience in IT strategy and digital transformation for UK businesses.

Netra Solutions

Type to search articles.