🔗 Share this article

The artist has given the complete sum of his twenty-five thousand pound award winnings to the trust for venues, which operates to preserve the UK's grassroots concert spaces.

He was given the cheque on 16 October as his third album the album was chosen as the outstanding release of the past year.

Fender has opted to hand the money over to the Music Venues Trust, in acknowledgment of the vital role local spots played in his early career.

"I personally would not have achieved this success if it weren't for all the shows I played around the area, and beyond, when I was just getting going," said Fender. "These locations are legendary, but they are facing challenges."

Since the start of 2023, over 150 of these locations have permanently closed – about 16 percent of the entire UK sector.

Over the past year, top acts such as the band Pulp, the group Coldplay, Katy Perry and Sheeran have all backed the MVT in its initiatives to support the industry, by applying a minor surcharge to their admission fees, which goes to help smaller concert halls.

He also participated, raising in excess of £100,000 on his 2024 arena tour to help thirty-eight local spots across the UK.

These funds helped venues that were facing potential shutdown due to challenges arising from flooding, blazes and personal losses, as well as licensing issues, court cases and sound issues.

Additional spaces obtained financial assistance in modernizing infrastructure and technical equipment that helped performers and concertgoers.

"The notion that revenue from shows in large arenas supports the independent spots, where it kicks off for performers like me, is just sensible," the star has stated.

He is not the first artist to donate his Mercury Prize funds to charitable organizations.

When they won the award in the year 1996 for their release their work, frontman Cocker announced that the band would contribute their winnings to the non-profit the charity.

In 2002, rapper and singer she shared her bounty between several good causes, such as the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell organization.

"And I gave a £1,000 to my local community centre, to their classes, because I practiced gymnastics when I was a child and they needed new equipment," the artist explained to a publication.

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

Also the 1994 recipients the group gave their award to a charity for MS after a acquaintance was diagnosed the disease.

"Winning was quite enough," stated vocalist Small. "The cash was the bonus but we didn't require the extra, because we had the honor. So our winning affected somebody else's life."

In the past week, the trust shared it had rescued two local spots in that region, by bringing them into public stewardship.

One venue in the city and The Croft in that location were bought under the Own Our Venues scheme, which is funded by Arts Council England and enthusiasts who buy "ownership units" in the properties.