Sam Fender has donated the entirety of his £25,000 honor prize money to the Music Venues Trust, which operates to preserve the United Kingdom's independent music venues.
Fender was presented with the cheque on mid-October as his new release his work was declared the outstanding release of the last 12 months.
The musician has opted to donate the funds to the trust, in appreciation of the vital role local spots had in his beginning days.
"I personally wouldn't be doing this success if it weren't for all the gigs I did around the region, and further afield, when I was just getting going," said the artist. "These spaces are legendary, but they are in difficulty."
From early 2023 onward, at least 150 of these venues have shut down – approximately 16% of the whole industry in the UK.
Recently, top acts such as the band Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Sheeran have all backed the trust in its attempts to keep the scene afloat, by including a minor surcharge to their ticket costs, which supports independent venues.
Sam Fender also took part, collecting more than £100,000 on his recent tour to support numerous small stages across England, Scotland, and Wales.
These funds assisted venues that were confronting possible closure due to difficulties arising from flooding, fire incidents and bereavements, as well as permit problems, legal disputes and noise complaints.
Other venues received funding support in improving infrastructure and gear that helped artists and audiences.
"The idea that money from concerts in big venues supports the smaller venues, where it kicks off for artists like me, is just sensible," the star has stated.
Fender is among several artists to contribute his Mercury Prize winnings to charitable organizations.
When the band earned the award in the mid-90s for their album Different Class, frontman Jarvis Cocker announced that the act would donate their cash to the organization War Child.
During 2002, rapper and singer she divided her prize between multiple charities, such as the children's charity and a Sickle Cell charity.
"And I gave a grand to the center, to their gymnastics class, because I practiced gymnastics when I was younger and they required new equipment," she explained to a publication.
Previously, the band gave their prize money to the local youth club that nurtured their band, alongside other grassroots music organisations.
Also winners that year the group contributed their winnings to a charity for MS after a acquaintance was identified with the illness.
"The victory was ample," said singer Heather Small. "The cash was the cherry on top but we could do without the extra, because we had the cake. So our victory impacted somebody else's life."
Last week, the MVT shared it had saved a couple of small stages in that region, by bringing them into community ownership.
The Joiners in the city and the other in that location were purchased under the public acquisition initiative, which is funded by Arts Council England and music fans who acquire "stakes" in the venues.
