The artist donates twenty-five thousand pounds award winnings to small music venues

Sam Fender holding his trophy in the North East
He won the honor in October in the North East

Sam Fender has donated the full amount of his twenty-five thousand pound honor cash to the Music Venues Trust, which functions to save the Britain's small live music spots.

Fender was given the award on 16 October as his latest record People Watching was chosen as the top album of the last 12 months.

He has chosen to give the cash to the trust, in recognition of the crucial part grassroots venues played in his initial steps.

"As an artist wouldn't be doing this success if it weren't for all the gigs I did around the region, and beyond, when I was beginning," remarked the artist. "These locations are renowned, but they are in difficulty."

Beginning in 2023, more than 150 of these venues have permanently closed – about 16 percent of the total UK scene.

Over the past year, well-known musicians including Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Sheeran have all backed the trust in its initiatives to keep the scene afloat, by adding a small levy to their admission fees, which supports local stages.

Fender also joined in, collecting over Β£100k on his live tour to support 38 local spots across Britain.

The donation assisted venues that were confronting possible closure due to difficulties stemming from flooding, fires and personal losses, as well as regulatory hurdles, legal disputes and sound issues.

Other venues obtained financial assistance in improving amenities and gear that directly benefitted artists and concertgoers.

"The notion that revenue from performances in large arenas backs the local stages, where it kicks off for performers like me, is just common sense," the star has stated.

Pulp on stage
Pulp are one example who gave their honor funds to good causes

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

In Pulp earned the trophy in 1996 for their release their work, frontman Jarvis Cocker declared that the band would give their cash to the charity War Child.

That year, musician she split her bounty across a few good causes, like the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell charity.

"I also gave a thousand pounds to my local community centre, to their classes, because I trained in gymnastics when I was a child and they needed updated gear," Ms Dynamite told the media.

In recent years, they donated their prize money to the community center that developed their act, in addition to other local music groups.

Also 1994 winners the group contributed their award to a multiple sclerosis charity after a friend was found to have the illness.

"Receiving the award was quite enough," remarked singer Heather Small. "The cash was the cherry on top but we didn't need the cherry, because we had the cake. So our victory impacted the lives of others."

Recently, the trust revealed it had rescued several grassroots venues in south-east England, by placing them under community ownership.

The first in Southampton and The Croft in Bristol were acquired under the community ownership initiative, which is funded by Arts Council England and supporters who buy "stakes" in the venues.

Amy Bauer
Amy Bauer

A certified fitness trainer with over a decade of experience in strength and conditioning, passionate about helping others achieve their health goals.