Sam Fender has donated the full amount of his twenty-five thousand pound Mercury Prize cash to the Music Venues Trust, which works to preserve the UK's independent live music spots.
Fender was given the award on 16 October as his third album his work was chosen as the best record of the last 12 months.
The musician has chosen to give the cash to the MVT, in acknowledgment of the vital role grassroots venues played in his initial steps.
"As an artist wouldn't be doing this success if it weren't for all the gigs I did around the area, and beyond, when I was beginning," stated Sam Fender. "These venues are renowned, but they are facing challenges."
From early 2023 onward, over 150 of these locations have shut down – approximately 16 percent of the total UK scene.
Recently, well-known musicians including Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all backed the trust in its initiatives to keep the scene afloat, by including a modest fee to their admission fees, which supports independent venues.
Sam Fender also joined in, generating over £100k on his recent tour to help 38 grassroots venues across England, Scotland, and Wales.
The donation supported locations that were confronting potential shutdown due to issues arising from water damage, fires and bereavements, as well as permit problems, legal disputes and sound issues.
Additional spaces obtained funding support in improving amenities and sound and lighting systems that helped performers and audiences.
"The idea that revenue from concerts in big venues helps the independent spots, where it begins for artists like me, is just logical," Fender has commented.
He is far from the only musician to donate his Mercury Prize winnings to good deeds.
Back when Pulp won the prize in the mid-90s for their release Different Class, lead singer Cocker declared that the act would give their prize money to the non-profit War Child.
In 2002, musician she split her award between multiple good causes, such as the NSPCC and a charity for Sickle Cell.
"Additionally, I donated a grand to the center, to their gymnastics class, because I did gymnastics when I was growing up and they lacked new equipment," the artist explained to the media.
Two years ago, Ezra Collective donated their winnings to the community center that nurtured their act, as well as other independent music bodies.
Also 1994 winners M People contributed their prize to a multiple sclerosis charity after a acquaintance was diagnosed the disease.
"Receiving the award was sufficient," remarked artist Small. "The cash was the extra but we could do without the cherry, because we had the cake. So our victory impacted another person's life."
Recently, the Music Venues Trust revealed it had rescued a couple of grassroots venues in that region, 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 music fans who buy "ownership units" in the properties.
