Skip to content
Friday, October 9, 2026
Tech Insights Blog

The musician gives his £25k prize cash award to small music venues

Sam Fender holding Mercury Prize in his hometown
The musician won the prestigious award last month in Newcastle

The artist has given the full amount of his twenty-five thousand pound award prize money to the MVT, which functions to preserve the Britain's small concert spaces.

The star was given the prize on October 16 as his new release his work was declared the top album of the previous year.

Fender has chosen to give the cash to the Music Venues Trust, in appreciation of the essential function small stages fulfilled in his initial steps.

"I wouldn't be doing my current career if it weren't for all the shows I played around the North East, and beyond, when I was starting out," remarked the artist. "These locations are renowned, but they are in difficulty."

Beginning in 2023, at least 150 of these venues have ceased operations – approximately one-sixth of the whole industry in the UK.

Recently, well-known musicians like Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Sheeran have all backed the trust in its efforts to keep the scene afloat, by applying a small levy to their ticket prices, which goes to help smaller concert halls.

Fender also participated, generating more than £100,000 on his recent tour to help numerous grassroots venues across the UK.

The money assisted locations that were dealing with imminent closure due to issues caused by water damage, blazes and family tragedies, as well as regulatory hurdles, court cases and noise complaints.

Other venues were granted monetary aid in upgrading amenities and sound and lighting systems that positively impacted performers and fans.

"The idea that revenue from performances in major spaces backs the local stages, where it all starts for musicians like me, is just common sense," the star has stated.

The band Pulp in concert
The group are one of the many acts who donated their honor prize money to non-profits

He is among several artists to donate his award prize money to worthy causes.

In the band earned the award in 1996 for their release Different Class, frontman Jarvis Cocker stated that the act would contribute their cash to the non-profit the charity.

During 2002, musician Ms Dynamite split her prize between a few organizations, including the children's charity and a charity for Sickle Cell.

"I also contributed a grand to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics program, because I practiced gymnastics when I was growing up and they lacked new equipment," she explained to the media.

In recent years, the band gave their winnings to the local youth club that supported their group, alongside other grassroots music organisations.

Also 1994 winners they donated their winnings to a charity for MS after a acquaintance was found to have the condition.

"Receiving the award was quite enough," stated singer the singer. "The prize was the extra but we could do without the extra, because we had the honor. So our winning affected another person's life."

Recently, the MVT revealed it had protected a couple of grassroots venues in that region, by transferring them to community ownership.

One venue in Southampton and the other in that location were purchased under the community ownership initiative, which is backed by Arts Council England and supporters who acquire "ownership units" in the buildings.

By

Russell Jones

A tech enthusiast and writer with a background in software development, passionate about demystifying complex technologies for everyday users.

Tech Insights Blog

Type to search articles.