Sam Fender has given the complete sum of his £25,000 Mercury Prize cash to the Music Venues Trust, which operates to save the United Kingdom's independent concert spaces.
He was given the prize on mid-October as his latest record People Watching was named the best record of the last 12 months.
Fender has chosen to give the cash to the Music Venues Trust, in appreciation of the vital role local spots played in his initial steps.
"I couldn't be pursuing what I am doing today if it weren't for all the gigs I played around the North East, and further afield, when I was beginning," remarked the artist. "These venues are renowned, but they are in difficulty."
From early 2023 onward, at least 150 of these locations have ceased operations – roughly 16 percent of the entire UK sector.
Over the past year, major artists including the band Pulp, the group Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all supported the MVT in its initiatives to support the industry, by including a small levy to their admission fees, which benefits local stages.
Fender also took part, generating more than £100,000 on his 2024 arena tour to support numerous local spots across Britain.
The donation helped spaces that were dealing with imminent closure due to issues arising from water damage, fire incidents and personal losses, as well as permit problems, legal disputes and noise complaints.
Additional spaces were granted monetary aid in modernizing facilities and technical equipment that helped performers and concertgoers.
"The concept that money from shows in big venues backs the independent spots, where it begins for artists like me, is just logical," the star has stated.
Fender is among several artists to contribute his Mercury Prize prize money to good deeds.
Back when the band received the award in the mid-90s for their record their work, lead singer Cocker announced that the group would contribute their cash to the non-profit War Child.
That year, rapper and singer Ms Dynamite divided her prize among multiple charities, such as the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell organization.
"And I donated a thousand pounds to my local community centre, to their gymnastics program, because I trained in gymnastics when I was younger and they needed better apparatus," Ms Dynamite told the media.
In recent years, they gave their prize money to the local youth club that supported their group, alongside other local music groups.
Additionally the 1994 recipients they gave their prize to a charity for MS after a friend was identified with the illness.
"Winning was ample," remarked vocalist Small. "The cash was the bonus but we didn't need the extra, because we had the honor. So our victory affected another person's life."
In the past week, the MVT revealed it had rescued several local spots in the South East, by bringing them into public stewardship.
One venue in that area and the second in that location were purchased under the community ownership program, which is backed by Arts Council England and music fans who buy "shares" in the properties.
