Sam Fender has donated the entirety of his £25k Mercury Prize cash to the Music Venues Trust, which operates to save the United Kingdom's independent concert spaces.
He was presented with the prize on October 16 as his latest record the album was chosen as the top album of the past year.
He has decided to hand the money over to the Music Venues Trust, in acknowledgment of the essential function grassroots venues played in his early career.
"I would not have achieved my current career if it weren't for all the shows I performed around the region, and elsewhere, when I was just getting going," stated the artist. "These spaces are renowned, but they are facing challenges."
Since the start of 2023, more than 150 of these venues have permanently closed – about 16 percent of the entire UK sector.
In the last year, major artists including Pulp, the group Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all aided the Music Venues Trust in its efforts to support the industry, by including a minor surcharge to their ticket prices, which supports independent venues.
Sam Fender also took part, raising over £100k on his live tour to assist numerous small stages across the UK.
The money helped locations that were dealing with possible closure due to challenges stemming from floods, fire incidents and personal losses, as well as regulatory hurdles, legal disputes and neighbor objections.
Some locations obtained monetary aid in upgrading facilities and sound and lighting systems that directly benefitted performers and audiences.
"The idea that funds from shows in big venues helps the independent spots, where it all starts for performers like me, is just sensible," the star has commented.
He is far from the only musician to give his honor prize money to good deeds.
When Pulp earned the award in the mid-90s for their record Different Class, vocalist the singer declared that the band would donate their prize money to the organization the charity.
During 2002, rapper and singer the artist split her prize across several organizations, like the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell organization.
"Additionally, I contributed a grand to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics class, because I practiced gymnastics when I was growing up and they required updated gear," the artist explained to the media.
Two years ago, they gave their winnings to the community center that supported their band, in addition to other grassroots music organisations.
And the 1994 recipients M People contributed their winnings to a MS organization after a close contact was identified with the disease.
"Winning was quite enough," stated singer Small. "The money was the cherry on top but we didn't need the extra, because we had the honor. So our winning touched somebody else's life."
In the past week, the MVT announced it had saved a couple of grassroots venues in that region, by bringing them into community ownership.
One venue in that area and the other in that location were acquired under the public acquisition initiative, which is supported by a national body and enthusiasts who buy "shares" in the properties.
