Sam Fender has given the entirety of his twenty-five thousand pound Mercury Prize winnings to the trust for venues, which works to preserve the Britain's grassroots music venues.
He was given the cheque on mid-October as his latest record the album was chosen as the top album of the previous year.
He has decided to give the cash to the Music Venues Trust, in recognition of the essential function small stages had in his early career.
"I would not have achieved what I am doing today if it weren't for all the shows I played around the region, and beyond, when I was beginning," remarked Fender. "These spaces are renowned, but they are struggling."
From early 2023 onward, more than 150 of these venues have permanently closed – roughly 16 percent of the whole industry in the UK.
In the last year, top acts such as the band Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all aided the MVT in its attempts to help venues survive, by applying a small levy to their ticket costs, which goes to help local stages.
Sam Fender also took part, generating over £100k on his 2024 arena tour to assist thirty-eight local spots across England, Scotland, and Wales.
These funds assisted spaces that were confronting potential shutdown due to difficulties arising from water damage, blazes and family tragedies, as well as licensing issues, legal disputes and sound issues.
Other venues received financial assistance in improving facilities and technical equipment that helped performers and audiences.
"The concept that money from concerts in big venues backs the smaller venues, where it begins for performers like me, is just sensible," Fender has said.
He is not the first artist to donate his honor funds to charitable organizations.
When the band won the prize in the year 1996 for their release Different Class, vocalist the singer stated that the group would donate their cash to the organization War Child.
During 2002, musician she split her prize between multiple organizations, including the children's charity and a Sickle Cell charity.
"I also gave a thousand pounds to my local community centre, to their gymnastics program, because I trained in gymnastics when I was younger and they lacked updated gear," she explained to a publication.
In recent years, the band contributed their winnings to the youth organization that nurtured their group, alongside other grassroots music organisations.
Additionally 1994 winners the group gave their prize to a multiple sclerosis charity after a acquaintance was found to have the condition.
"The victory was sufficient," remarked artist the singer. "The money was the bonus but we didn't need the extra, because we had the cake. So our victory touched the lives of others."
In the past week, the trust announced it had saved a couple of small stages in the South East, by placing them under local control.
The first in Southampton and the other in the city were acquired under the community ownership initiative, which is supported by Arts Council England and enthusiasts who buy "stakes" in the venues.
