Sam Fender has donated the entirety of his twenty-five thousand pound Mercury Prize cash to the Music Venues Trust, which functions to protect the UK's grassroots live music spots.
Fender was presented with the award on October 16 as his latest record his work was named the best record of the previous year.
Fender has decided to give the cash to the Music Venues Trust, in recognition of the vital role grassroots venues had in his early career.
"I personally couldn't be pursuing this success if it weren't for all the performances I played around the area, and elsewhere, when I was starting out," stated Fender. "These spaces are iconic, but they are in difficulty."
Since the start of 2023, more than 150 of these spaces have ceased operations – approximately one-sixth of the total UK scene.
Recently, major artists including the band Pulp, the group Coldplay, Katy Perry and Sheeran have all backed the trust in its attempts to keep the scene afloat, by adding a small levy to their ticket prices, which benefits smaller concert halls.
Fender also participated, generating over £100k on his 2024 arena tour to help 38 small stages across the UK.
The donation helped venues that were dealing with imminent closure due to difficulties caused by flooding, fire incidents and family tragedies, as well as permit problems, conflicts and sound issues.
Some locations obtained monetary aid in improving facilities and technical equipment that helped musicians and concertgoers.
"The idea that revenue from shows in big venues backs the smaller venues, where it all starts for artists like me, is just sensible," Fender has stated.
Fender is far from the only musician to donate his honor prize money to charitable organizations.
In the band earned the trophy in the year 1996 for their record their work, lead singer the singer announced that the band would give their prize money to the organization War Child.
That year, artist she shared her prize between several organizations, including the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell organization.
"I also contributed a £1,000 to my local community centre, to their gymnastics program, because I practiced gymnastics when I was a child and they required better apparatus," Ms Dynamite told the media.
Two years ago, they donated their prize money to the youth organization that nurtured their act, as well as other grassroots music organisations.
Additionally winners that year they gave their award to a multiple sclerosis charity after a friend was identified with the disease.
"Winning was quite enough," said vocalist Heather Small. "The prize was the cherry on top but we could do without the extra, because we had the honor. So our winning touched somebody else's life."
In the past week, the trust revealed it had protected several grassroots venues in south-east England, by transferring them to public stewardship.
The Joiners in that area and The Croft in Bristol were acquired under the community ownership program, which is supported by the arts council and enthusiasts who buy "stakes" in the properties.
