Sam Fender has given the full amount of his £25,000 Mercury Prize prize money to the Music Venues Trust, which functions to preserve the United Kingdom's grassroots concert spaces.
Fender was given the cheque on 16 October as his latest record People Watching was declared the outstanding release of the previous year.
The musician has decided to give the cash to the Music Venues Trust, in acknowledgment of the essential function small stages fulfilled in his early career.
"As an artist couldn't be pursuing this success if it wasn't for all the shows I performed around the North East, and further afield, when I was beginning," remarked Sam Fender. "These locations are legendary, but they are in difficulty."
Since the start of 2023, at least 150 of these locations have permanently closed – roughly one-sixth of the entire UK sector.
Over the past year, well-known musicians such as the band Pulp, Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all supported the trust in its initiatives to keep the scene afloat, by including a minor surcharge to their ticket prices, which benefits independent venues.
He also took part, raising more than £100,000 on his 2024 arena tour to support numerous small stages across Britain.
The money supported venues that were confronting potential shutdown due to difficulties stemming from floods, fires and bereavements, as well as permit problems, court cases and noise complaints.
Additional spaces obtained monetary aid in upgrading amenities and technical equipment that directly benefitted artists and concertgoers.
"The concept that funds from shows in big venues backs the smaller venues, where it begins for musicians like me, is just common sense," the star has commented.
Fender is not the first artist to give his honor funds to charitable organizations.
When Pulp won the award in 1996 for their release their work, lead singer Cocker announced that the group would give their cash to the non-profit War Child.
During 2002, musician she split her award between multiple charities, including the children's charity and a Sickle Cell charity.
"And I contributed a grand to my local community centre, to their classes, because I trained in gymnastics when I was growing up and they required better apparatus," Ms Dynamite told the media.
Previously, they contributed their funds to the community center that nurtured their act, in addition to other independent music bodies.
Additionally the 1994 recipients they donated their winnings to a multiple sclerosis charity after a acquaintance was found to have the disease.
"Receiving the award was sufficient," remarked singer Small. "The money was the bonus but we could do without the cherry, because we had the main prize. So our winning impacted somebody else's life."
Last week, the trust shared it had saved several small stages in the South East, by bringing them into public stewardship.
The first in the city and the second in the city were bought under the public acquisition scheme, which is backed by Arts Council England and supporters who acquire "shares" in the properties.
