Sam Fender has handed over the complete sum of his £25k Mercury Prize prize money to the Music Venues Trust, which works to preserve the United Kingdom's small concert spaces.
Fender was given the award on October 16 as his latest record the album was declared the outstanding release of the last 12 months.
He has opted to give the cash to the Music Venues Trust, in appreciation of the crucial part local spots fulfilled in his early career.
"As an artist couldn't be pursuing what I am doing today if it hadn't been for all the gigs I played around the North East, and elsewhere, when I was just getting going," stated Sam Fender. "These spaces are renowned, but they are facing challenges."
Since the start of 2023, at least 150 of these locations have ceased operations – roughly 16% of the entire UK sector.
Over the past year, major artists including Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Sheeran have all aided the Music Venues Trust in its attempts to keep the scene afloat, by adding a minor surcharge to their admission fees, which goes to help smaller concert halls.
Sam Fender also participated, collecting more than £100,000 on his 2024 arena tour to assist 38 grassroots venues across the UK.
These funds assisted spaces that were facing imminent closure due to challenges stemming from flooding, blazes and bereavements, as well as licensing issues, court cases and neighbor objections.
Additional spaces obtained financial assistance in modernizing infrastructure and gear that helped performers and audiences.
"The concept that revenue from concerts in big venues supports the smaller venues, where it begins for musicians like me, is just logical," Fender has stated.
He is among several artists to give his Mercury Prize winnings to good deeds.
When Pulp received the trophy in the year 1996 for their release Different Class, vocalist the singer declared that the act would contribute their winnings to the organization War Child.
During 2002, musician the artist split her bounty among several charities, like the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell charity.
"And I gave a grand to the center, to their classes, because I practiced gymnastics when I was a child and they lacked new equipment," Ms Dynamite explained to outlets.
Two years ago, the band gave their funds to the community center that nurtured their act, in addition to other grassroots music organisations.
And the 1994 recipients the group gave their award to a charity for MS after a friend was found to have the condition.
"Winning was ample," remarked artist Small. "The prize was the bonus but we didn't need the cherry, because we had the cake. So our winning touched the lives of others."
Recently, the Music Venues Trust announced it had protected several small stages in that region, by transferring them to community ownership.
The Joiners in Southampton and The Croft in the city were acquired under the public acquisition initiative, which is backed by a national body and enthusiasts who buy "shares" in the venues.
