Sam Fender has handed over the complete sum of his twenty-five thousand pound honor winnings to the MVT, which operates to preserve the United Kingdom's grassroots music venues.
He was presented with the cheque on mid-October as his new release his work was declared the outstanding release of the last 12 months.
Fender has chosen to donate the funds to the Music Venues Trust, in recognition of the essential function grassroots venues had in his early career.
"I wouldn't be doing what I am doing today if it weren't for all the gigs I did around the region, and beyond, when I was beginning," remarked Sam Fender. "These spaces are renowned, but they are in difficulty."
From early 2023 onward, at least 150 of these locations have shut down – roughly 16% of the total UK scene.
Over the past year, well-known musicians including the band Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all aided the Music Venues Trust in its attempts to support the industry, by including a modest fee to their ticket prices, which supports local stages.
Fender also joined in, collecting in excess of £100,000 on his recent tour to help thirty-eight grassroots venues across Britain.
The donation helped spaces that were confronting possible closure due to challenges arising from flooding, fire incidents and family tragedies, as well as licensing issues, legal disputes and neighbor objections.
Other venues received financial assistance in modernizing amenities and technical equipment that directly benefitted performers and concertgoers.
"The concept that revenue from shows in large arenas supports the independent spots, where it all starts for artists like me, is just logical," the star has commented.
The musician is far from the only musician to donate his Mercury Prize winnings to charitable organizations.
When Pulp earned the award in 1996 for their record the album, frontman the singer announced that the act would contribute their winnings to the charity War Child.
During 2002, rapper and singer she split her prize between a few charities, such as the NSPCC and a charity for Sickle Cell.
"I also donated a £1,000 to the center, to their gymnastics class, because I practiced gymnastics when I was growing up and they lacked updated gear," the artist told a publication.
In recent years, Ezra Collective gave their funds to the local youth club that nurtured their band, alongside other local music groups.
Additionally the 1994 recipients the group donated their award to a multiple sclerosis charity after a friend was diagnosed the disease.
"The victory was quite enough," stated vocalist Heather Small. "The cash was the extra but we didn't need the cherry, because we had the cake. So our victory affected somebody else's life."
In the past week, the trust revealed it had protected several small stages in the South East, by bringing them into community ownership.
The Joiners in Southampton and The Croft in that location were bought under the public acquisition initiative, which is backed by the arts council and music fans who purchase "ownership units" in the venues.
