🔗 Share this article

Sam Fender has handed over the full amount of his twenty-five thousand pound award winnings to the Music Venues Trust, which works to protect the United Kingdom's small live music spots.

The star was awarded the prize on mid-October as his new release his work was chosen as the top album of the past year.

The musician has opted to donate the funds to the trust, in appreciation of the vital role local spots had in his early career.

"I personally wouldn't be doing this success if it hadn't been for all the gigs I played around the area, and further afield, when I was beginning," remarked the artist. "These locations are renowned, but they are facing challenges."

Since the start of 2023, more than 150 of these venues have ceased operations – about 16% of the total UK scene.

In the last year, major artists including Pulp, Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all backed the trust in its efforts to help venues survive, by including a minor surcharge to their ticket costs, which supports local stages.

Sam Fender also joined in, raising more than £100,000 on his live tour to assist 38 local spots across Britain.

The money assisted venues that were facing imminent closure due to challenges stemming from floods, fire incidents and bereavements, as well as licensing issues, legal disputes and noise complaints.

Additional spaces received financial assistance in improving infrastructure and technical equipment that helped artists and audiences.

"The notion that funds from performances in major spaces supports the independent spots, where it begins for performers like me, is just sensible," Fender has stated.

The musician is far from the only musician to donate his award winnings to good deeds.

Back when they won the trophy in the mid-90s for their album Different Class, frontman Jarvis Cocker stated that the act would contribute their prize money to the non-profit War Child.

In 2002, artist Ms Dynamite split her award among multiple good causes, including the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell organization.

"I also gave a grand to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics class, because I did gymnastics when I was growing up and they required updated gear," Ms Dynamite shared with the media.

In recent years, they gave their prize money to the community center that nurtured their group, as well as other grassroots music organisations.

Additionally 1994 winners they donated their prize to a multiple sclerosis charity after a close contact was diagnosed the condition.

"Receiving the award was quite enough," remarked vocalist the singer. "The money was the extra but we could do without the extra, because we had the cake. So our victory impacted another person's life."

Last week, the Music Venues Trust shared it had protected a couple of local spots in the South East, by placing them under local control.

The Joiners in the city and the second in the city were purchased under the community ownership program, which is supported by a national body and enthusiasts who purchase "shares" in the buildings.