Sam Fender has handed over the complete sum of his twenty-five thousand pound award winnings to the Music Venues Trust, which operates to protect the United Kingdom's small live music spots.
He was presented with the cheque on 16 October as his third album his work was declared the outstanding release of the past year.
The musician has opted to hand the money over to the Music Venues Trust, in acknowledgment of the vital role grassroots venues fulfilled in his initial steps.
"I would not have achieved what I am doing today if it weren't for all the shows I played around the North East, and further afield, when I was beginning," stated Sam Fender. "These spaces are legendary, but they are struggling."
Since the start of 2023, at least 150 of these venues have shut down – roughly one-sixth of the entire UK sector.
Over the past year, well-known musicians like the band Pulp, Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Sheeran have all supported the trust in its attempts to support the industry, by adding a small levy to their ticket costs, which goes to help local stages.
He also joined in, collecting in excess of £100,000 on his recent tour to help 38 small stages across Britain.
The donation assisted venues that were dealing with potential shutdown due to challenges arising from water damage, blazes and personal losses, as well as licensing issues, legal disputes and sound issues.
Other venues obtained monetary aid in modernizing amenities and sound and lighting systems that helped musicians and audiences.
"The concept that funds from shows in major spaces backs the independent spots, where it all starts for artists like me, is just common sense," Sam Fender has said.
Fender is far from the only musician to donate his Mercury Prize funds to good deeds.
When the band earned the award in the mid-90s for their record their work, frontman Cocker declared that the act would donate their winnings to the charity War Child.
During 2002, musician she split her bounty among multiple organizations, like the NSPCC and a charity for Sickle Cell.
"I also contributed a thousand pounds to my local community centre, to their gymnastics program, because I practiced gymnastics when I was a child and they required updated gear," she shared with outlets.
Two years ago, they contributed their funds to the youth organization that developed their act, alongside other independent music bodies.
Additionally 1994 winners the group donated their winnings to a MS organization after a close contact was found to have the illness.
"Receiving the award was ample," stated singer Heather Small. "The money was the cherry on top but we didn't need the bonus, because we had the main prize. So our success touched somebody else's life."
Last week, the trust revealed it had saved several grassroots venues in south-east England, by bringing them into public stewardship.
The first in the city and The Croft in that location were acquired under the Own Our Venues initiative, which is supported by Arts Council England and enthusiasts who acquire "ownership units" in the properties.
