Sam Fender has donated the complete sum of his twenty-five thousand pound honor prize money to the trust for venues, which functions to preserve the United Kingdom's small music venues.
He was given the award on 16 October as his new release his work was declared the top album of the past year.
He has decided to hand the money over to the Music Venues Trust, in recognition of the crucial part grassroots venues played in his initial steps.
"I couldn't be pursuing my current career if it weren't for all the performances I did around the North East, and further afield, when I was beginning," stated the artist. "These locations are renowned, but they are in difficulty."
From early 2023 onward, at least 150 of these locations have ceased operations – approximately 16% of the total UK scene.
Recently, top acts such as Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Sheeran have all aided the Music Venues Trust in its initiatives to help venues survive, by adding a modest fee to their ticket prices, which supports independent venues.
Sam Fender also participated, raising over £100k on his 2024 arena tour to support numerous small stages across the UK.
These funds helped spaces that were dealing with potential shutdown due to challenges caused by water damage, fire incidents and personal losses, as well as regulatory hurdles, court cases and neighbor objections.
Other venues were granted financial assistance in improving infrastructure and technical equipment that positively impacted performers and fans.
"The notion that revenue from shows in big venues helps the local stages, where it all starts for performers like me, is just sensible," the star has commented.
Fender is far from the only musician to contribute his Mercury Prize prize money to worthy causes.
When they won the prize in the year 1996 for their album Different Class, vocalist the singer announced that the act would contribute their prize money to the charity War Child.
In 2002, rapper and singer the artist split her prize among a few organizations, including the NSPCC and a charity for Sickle Cell.
"And I contributed a £1,000 to my local community centre, to their gymnastics program, because I practiced gymnastics when I was younger and they needed better apparatus," the artist shared with the media.
In recent years, Ezra Collective donated their winnings to the local youth club that nurtured their group, alongside other independent music bodies.
And 1994 winners M People gave their award to a multiple sclerosis charity after a friend was diagnosed the disease.
"Winning was quite enough," remarked artist Heather Small. "The prize was the bonus but we could do without the cherry, because we had the main prize. So our success affected another person's life."
In the past week, the trust shared it had protected two local spots in south-east England, by placing them under community ownership.
The first in the city and the second in Bristol were acquired under the Own Our Venues initiative, which is funded by the arts council and enthusiasts who buy "shares" in the properties.
