Sam Fender has given the complete sum of his £25k Mercury Prize winnings to the Music Venues Trust, which operates to preserve the United Kingdom's independent music venues.
He was presented with the cheque on mid-October as his third album the album was declared the best record of the past year.
He has chosen to donate the funds to the Music Venues Trust, in appreciation of the vital role local spots had in his early career.
"I would not have achieved my current career if it wasn't for all the shows I did around the North East, and elsewhere, when I was beginning," said Sam Fender. "These spaces are legendary, but they are in difficulty."
From early 2023 onward, at least 150 of these spaces have permanently closed – roughly 16% of the total UK scene.
Over the past year, top acts like Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Sheeran have all supported the trust in its efforts to support the industry, by including a small levy to their ticket costs, which benefits smaller concert halls.
He also participated, generating over £100k on his recent tour to assist thirty-eight small stages across England, Scotland, and Wales.
These funds assisted venues that were confronting potential shutdown due to difficulties arising from flooding, fires and personal losses, as well as licensing issues, conflicts and neighbor objections.
Some locations obtained funding support in modernizing amenities and gear that directly benefitted performers and audiences.
"The notion that revenue from performances in large arenas backs the local stages, where it begins for musicians like me, is just common sense," Fender has commented.
The musician is not the first artist to give his award funds to good deeds.
When Pulp earned the prize in the mid-90s for their release Different Class, lead singer the singer stated that the act would contribute their prize money to the charity War Child.
That year, rapper and singer she divided her prize between a few organizations, such as the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell organization.
"I also donated a £1,000 to my local community centre, to their gymnastics class, because I practiced gymnastics when I was growing up and they lacked updated gear," Ms Dynamite shared with the media.
In recent years, Ezra Collective gave their prize money to the youth organization that supported their group, as well as other local music groups.
Additionally winners that year M People gave their award to a charity for MS after a close contact was identified with the disease.
"Winning was quite enough," remarked artist the singer. "The cash was the bonus but we didn't need the cherry, because we had the cake. So our success affected another person's life."
Recently, the Music Venues Trust revealed it had rescued several small stages in the South East, by transferring them to community ownership.
The first in Southampton and the other in that location were purchased under the public acquisition initiative, which is backed by the arts council and music fans who acquire "shares" in the buildings.
