Sam Fender has given the entirety of his twenty-five thousand pound award prize money to the Music Venues Trust, which functions to save the Britain's small music venues.
Fender was awarded the cheque on mid-October as his new release his work was declared the best record of the past year.
Fender has opted to hand the money over to the trust, in acknowledgment of the vital role local spots had in his early career.
"As an artist couldn't be pursuing this success if it wasn't for all the performances I did around the area, and beyond, when I was beginning," stated the artist. "These locations are renowned, but they are in difficulty."
Beginning in 2023, at least 150 of these locations have ceased operations – about 16% of the total UK scene.
Recently, major artists such as Pulp, the group Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all aided the Music Venues Trust in its efforts to support the industry, by adding a minor surcharge to their ticket prices, which supports independent venues.
Sam Fender also joined in, raising more than £100,000 on his live tour to help 38 grassroots venues across the UK.
These funds supported venues that were confronting potential shutdown due to issues stemming from water damage, fire incidents and bereavements, as well as permit problems, conflicts and noise complaints.
Some locations obtained monetary aid in upgrading amenities and sound and lighting systems that directly benefitted musicians and concertgoers.
"The notion that funds from performances in major spaces backs the local stages, where it all starts for performers like me, is just sensible," Sam Fender has said.
The musician is among several artists to give his Mercury Prize winnings to good deeds.
When they earned the award in 1996 for their release the album, frontman Cocker stated that the act would give their cash to the non-profit War Child.
That year, rapper and singer she split her award across multiple good causes, including the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell organization.
"I also donated a thousand pounds to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics class, because I practiced gymnastics when I was growing up and they lacked better apparatus," she explained to outlets.
In recent years, they donated their winnings to the local youth club that supported their band, as well as other local music groups.
Additionally winners that year M People donated their winnings to a charity for MS after a acquaintance was identified with the condition.
"Winning was ample," said singer Small. "The cash was the extra but we didn't need the bonus, because we had the main prize. So our success affected somebody else's life."
In the past week, the MVT shared it had protected several small stages in the South East, by transferring them to local control.
One venue in the city and The Croft in that location were purchased under the Own Our Venues initiative, which is supported by the arts council and enthusiasts who acquire "shares" in the buildings.
