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Wednesday, October 14, 2026
Global Roulette Daily

Sam Fender donates £25,000 Mercury Prize to grassroots music venues

The singer holding the award in his hometown
He received the prestigious award recently in the North East

The star has handed over the complete sum of his twenty-five thousand pound Mercury Prize cash to the Music Venues Trust, which operates to save the Britain's small music venues.

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

Fender has opted to hand the money over to the MVT, in acknowledgment of the crucial part local spots had in his beginning days.

"I would not have achieved my current career if it wasn't for all the gigs I played around the region, and elsewhere, when I was beginning," said the artist. "These venues are legendary, but they are facing challenges."

From early 2023 onward, at least 150 of these locations have ceased operations – about 16% of the entire UK sector.

Recently, top acts such as Pulp, Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Sheeran have all aided the MVT in its attempts to keep the scene afloat, by applying a minor surcharge to their ticket costs, which supports independent venues.

He also took part, generating in excess of £100,000 on his live tour to support thirty-eight grassroots venues across the UK.

The money helped venues that were facing imminent closure due to difficulties stemming from flooding, fire incidents and family tragedies, as well as licensing issues, legal disputes and sound issues.

Other venues were granted financial assistance in improving facilities and sound and lighting systems that directly benefitted musicians and fans.

"The notion that funds from performances in large arenas helps the smaller venues, where it begins for musicians like me, is just logical," Fender has said.

Pulp in concert
The group are one of the many acts who donated their honor prize money to charity

Fender is not the first artist to give his award funds to good deeds.

In the band earned the prize in the mid-90s for their album their work, vocalist the singer stated that the band would give their winnings to the charity War Child.

In 2002, rapper and singer Ms Dynamite divided her award across several good causes, including the children's charity and a Sickle Cell charity.

"Additionally, I contributed a grand to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics class, because I did gymnastics when I was a child and they required new equipment," the artist explained to outlets.

Two years ago, the band contributed their funds to the youth organization that nurtured their act, in addition to other local music groups.

Additionally the 1994 recipients M People gave their winnings to a charity for MS after a close contact was diagnosed the illness.

"Winning was ample," said artist the singer. "The money was the bonus but we didn't require the bonus, because we had the cake. So our winning impacted somebody else's life."

Last week, the Music Venues Trust shared it had saved several grassroots venues in the South East, by placing them under local control.

One venue in Southampton and the second in the city were acquired under the Own Our Venues scheme, which is backed by a national body and music fans who purchase "shares" in the properties.

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Allison Ross

A seasoned casino analyst with over a decade of experience in roulette strategy and global gaming trends.

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