Sam Fender has donated the complete sum of his twenty-five thousand pound award winnings to the Music Venues Trust, which functions to save the Britain's independent concert spaces.
He was given the cheque on October 16 as his new release his work was chosen as the outstanding release of the previous year.
The musician has decided to donate the funds to the Music Venues Trust, in recognition of the crucial part grassroots venues fulfilled in his early career.
"I personally wouldn't be doing my current career if it weren't for all the shows I did around the North East, and elsewhere, when I was starting out," said the artist. "These venues are renowned, but they are in difficulty."
Since the start of 2023, at least 150 of these spaces have ceased operations – approximately one-sixth of the total UK scene.
In the last year, well-known musicians including the band Pulp, Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Sheeran have all aided the Music Venues Trust in its attempts to support the industry, by including a minor surcharge to their ticket prices, which benefits smaller concert halls.
Sam Fender also took part, generating over £100k on his live tour to assist 38 small stages across England, Scotland, and Wales.
These funds supported locations that were confronting possible closure due to issues arising from floods, blazes and family tragedies, as well as regulatory hurdles, legal disputes and neighbor objections.
Some locations received financial assistance in improving facilities and gear that positively impacted musicians and audiences.
"The idea that revenue from shows in major spaces supports the independent spots, where it all starts for performers like me, is just logical," Fender has stated.
He is not the first artist to contribute his Mercury Prize winnings to charitable organizations.
Back when they received the prize in the mid-90s for their album Different Class, frontman Jarvis Cocker announced that the act would give their cash to the non-profit the charity.
In 2002, artist the artist shared her award among multiple charities, like the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell charity.
"And I donated a £1,000 to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics class, because I trained in gymnastics when I was younger and they lacked new equipment," the artist told the media.
Two years ago, they donated their prize money to the youth organization that developed their group, in addition to other local music groups.
Also winners that year M People contributed their award to a multiple sclerosis charity after a close contact was found to have the illness.
"Winning was quite enough," said artist Heather Small. "The cash was the bonus but we didn't require the bonus, because we had the cake. So our victory affected somebody else's life."
Last week, the trust revealed it had saved several local spots in the South East, by placing them under local control.
The Joiners in the city and the other in that location were purchased under the public acquisition scheme, which is funded by Arts Council England and music fans who buy "stakes" in the properties.
