Sam Fender has donated the entirety of his twenty-five thousand pound Mercury Prize cash to the MVT, which functions to save the United Kingdom's grassroots live music spots.
The star was presented with the cheque on mid-October as his new release the album was named the best record of the last 12 months.
Fender has decided to donate the funds to the Music Venues Trust, in acknowledgment of the crucial part local spots fulfilled in his beginning days.
"I wouldn't be doing this success if it weren't for all the shows I played around the region, and further afield, when I was starting out," remarked Fender. "These locations are renowned, but they are struggling."
Since the start of 2023, more than 150 of these spaces have permanently closed – about one-sixth of the total UK scene.
In the last year, major artists like Pulp, the group Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all supported the MVT in its attempts to help venues survive, by including a minor surcharge to their ticket prices, which benefits independent venues.
He also participated, collecting over £100k on his live tour to help 38 grassroots venues across England, Scotland, and Wales.
These funds assisted locations that were facing potential shutdown due to difficulties caused by flooding, fires and personal losses, as well as permit problems, legal disputes and neighbor objections.
Other venues received financial assistance in modernizing amenities and sound and lighting systems that positively impacted artists and audiences.
"The concept that funds from concerts in big venues backs the local stages, where it kicks off for musicians like me, is just logical," Sam Fender has said.
Fender is not the first artist to donate his honor funds to good deeds.
Back when they won the prize in the mid-90s for their album Different Class, vocalist Jarvis Cocker declared that the group would contribute their cash to the charity War Child.
During 2002, rapper and singer she shared her award between a few organizations, such as the children's charity and a charity for Sickle Cell.
"I also gave a £1,000 to the center, to their gymnastics class, because I did gymnastics when I was growing up and they needed updated gear," the artist shared with a publication.
Two years ago, they contributed their prize money to the youth organization that nurtured their band, alongside other independent music bodies.
Additionally winners that year M People gave their winnings to a charity for MS after a close contact was found to have the disease.
"The victory was sufficient," remarked singer the singer. "The money was the extra but we didn't need the extra, because we had the cake. So our victory impacted the lives of others."
Recently, the Music Venues Trust shared it had protected several small stages in the South East, by placing them under community ownership.
The Joiners in the city and the other in the city were acquired under the public acquisition scheme, which is backed by the arts council and enthusiasts who purchase "shares" in the buildings.
