Sam Fender has donated the entirety of his £25,000 Mercury Prize prize money to the MVT, which works to save the United Kingdom's grassroots music venues.
Fender was given the prize on mid-October as his new release People Watching was named the best record of the past year.
Fender has decided to hand the money over to the trust, in appreciation of the crucial part small stages played in his beginning days.
"I wouldn't be doing what I am doing today if it wasn't for all the shows I did around the North East, and elsewhere, when I was just getting going," stated the artist. "These venues are legendary, but they are struggling."
From early 2023 onward, over 150 of these spaces have permanently closed – about one-sixth of the total UK scene.
Recently, well-known musicians such as Pulp, Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Sheeran have all aided the Music Venues Trust in its efforts to help venues survive, by adding a small levy to their ticket costs, which goes to help smaller concert halls.
Sam Fender also took part, generating over £100k on his recent tour to help thirty-eight small stages across England, Scotland, and Wales.
The donation helped venues that were dealing with possible closure due to issues stemming from floods, blazes and bereavements, as well as regulatory hurdles, legal disputes and neighbor objections.
Some locations obtained monetary aid in improving amenities and gear that helped artists and fans.
"The concept that money from shows in large arenas helps the local stages, where it all starts for artists like me, is just common sense," the star has stated.
Fender is not the first artist to donate his award prize money to worthy causes.
Back when they received the trophy in 1996 for their release Different Class, vocalist the singer announced that the group would donate their cash to the charity War Child.
In 2002, artist she split her prize between several organizations, including the children's charity and a Sickle Cell organization.
"And I contributed a thousand pounds to the center, to their gymnastics program, because I did gymnastics when I was a child and they needed new equipment," the artist shared with the media.
In recent years, they gave their funds to the youth organization that developed their act, as well as other independent music bodies.
Also 1994 winners M People contributed their winnings to a MS organization after a friend was found to have the illness.
"Winning was ample," said vocalist the singer. "The cash was the extra but we could do without the bonus, because we had the cake. So our winning affected somebody else's life."
Last week, the MVT announced it had saved several local spots in south-east England, by bringing them into public stewardship.
One venue in the city and the second in that location were bought under the Own Our Venues program, which is backed by the arts council and enthusiasts who buy "ownership units" in the buildings.
