British artist Sam Fender is one of the many prime examples of arena or stadium-filling artists who cut their teeth on the grassroots circuit. He’s also one of the artists who is giving back via donations from tickets sold to his big-room gigs now.
The Music Venue Trust announced this morning that more than £100k raised from Fender’s UK arenas tour late last year has been distributed to support 38 independent venues across the UK. 19 of them received cash via the Trust’s Emergency Hardship Relief Fund and Emergency Response Team – indicating that they were at risk of imminent closure – while the other 19 were given funding to upgrade their facilities, equipment and infrastructure.
“This remarkable contribution from Sam Fender, his management, and his team has created a real and lasting impact on the grassroots music ecosystem,” said the Trust’s CEO Mark Davyd. Good work, everyone concerned.
