Sam Fender has given the entirety of his twenty-five thousand pound honor winnings to the Music Venues Trust, which functions to save the UK's small music venues.
Fender was given the award on mid-October as his third album the album was named the best record of the past year.
He has opted to give the cash to the Music Venues Trust, in appreciation of the vital role grassroots venues fulfilled in his initial steps.
"As an artist wouldn't be doing what I am doing today if it wasn't for all the performances I did around the region, and beyond, when I was just getting going," remarked the artist. "These locations are legendary, but they are in difficulty."
Beginning in 2023, more than 150 of these spaces have permanently closed – approximately 16 percent of the entire UK sector.
Recently, major artists like Pulp, Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Sheeran have all aided the trust in its efforts to help venues survive, by applying a modest fee to their ticket costs, which goes to help local stages.
He also joined in, generating over £100k on his live tour to assist 38 local spots across the UK.
The money assisted locations that were confronting potential shutdown due to difficulties stemming from floods, fires and family tragedies, as well as permit problems, conflicts and neighbor objections.
Other venues were granted monetary aid in modernizing infrastructure and gear that helped performers and audiences.
"The notion that money from concerts in large arenas backs the independent spots, where it begins for musicians like me, is just sensible," the star has said.
The musician is not the first artist to give his Mercury Prize winnings to good deeds.
Back when Pulp won the prize in the mid-90s for their album Different Class, frontman Jarvis Cocker announced that the band would contribute their cash to the organization War Child.
During 2002, musician she split her prize among several good causes, like the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell charity.
"And I donated a thousand pounds to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics class, because I trained in gymnastics when I was a child and they lacked better apparatus," she explained to a publication.
In recent years, they gave their funds to the community center that developed their act, in addition to other independent music bodies.
Also the 1994 recipients they donated their winnings to a MS organization after a close contact was diagnosed the condition.
"Receiving the award was ample," stated artist Small. "The cash was the extra but we could do without the cherry, because we had the honor. So our success impacted the lives of others."
Last week, the Music Venues Trust shared it had saved two local spots in south-east England, by placing them under community ownership.
One venue in that area and the other in that location were purchased under the public acquisition initiative, which is backed by the arts council and enthusiasts who purchase "shares" in the venues.
