🔗 Share this article

Sam Fender has handed over the complete sum of his £25k award winnings to the Music Venues Trust, which functions to protect the Britain's small concert spaces.

Fender was given the award on October 16 as his latest record People Watching was chosen as the top album of the past year.

He has opted to give the cash to the trust, in recognition of the vital role local spots fulfilled in his beginning days.

"I personally couldn't be pursuing this success if it wasn't for all the gigs I did around the area, and further afield, when I was starting out," stated the artist. "These venues are iconic, but they are struggling."

Beginning in 2023, over 150 of these venues have ceased operations – approximately 16 percent of the total UK scene.

Over the past year, major artists including Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all aided the MVT in its attempts to help venues survive, by applying a minor surcharge to their admission fees, which goes to help smaller concert halls.

Sam Fender also participated, raising in excess of £100,000 on his recent tour to assist 38 local spots across England, Scotland, and Wales.

These funds helped venues that were confronting possible closure due to challenges arising from flooding, fire incidents and personal losses, as well as regulatory hurdles, legal disputes and noise complaints.

Additional spaces obtained funding support in upgrading amenities and technical equipment that directly benefitted artists and fans.

"The idea that money from shows in large arenas helps the independent spots, where it all starts for musicians like me, is just sensible," Sam Fender has stated.

He is among several artists to contribute his award funds to worthy causes.

When they won the prize in 1996 for their record Different Class, vocalist Cocker declared that the act would contribute their prize money to the non-profit War Child.

In 2002, artist Ms Dynamite shared her bounty between a few charities, like the children's charity and a charity for Sickle Cell.

"And I gave a grand to my local community centre, to their gymnastics class, because I practiced gymnastics when I was growing up and they lacked updated gear," the artist told a publication.

Two years ago, Ezra Collective contributed their funds to the youth organization that supported their band, alongside other local music groups.

And winners that year they gave their winnings to a multiple sclerosis charity after a acquaintance was diagnosed the disease.

"The victory was quite enough," said artist Small. "The cash was the extra but we didn't need the bonus, because we had the honor. So our winning affected the lives of others."

In the past week, the trust revealed it had rescued several small stages in that region, by bringing them into local control.

One venue in that area and the second in Bristol were purchased under the Own Our Venues initiative, which is backed by Arts Council England and supporters who acquire "shares" in the venues.