Sam Fender has handed over the complete sum of his twenty-five thousand pound honor cash to the Music Venues Trust, which functions to preserve the Britain's independent concert spaces.
Fender was given the cheque on mid-October as his third album People Watching was declared the top album of the previous year.
He has decided to donate the funds to the Music Venues Trust, in recognition of the crucial part grassroots venues fulfilled in his initial steps.
"I personally couldn't be pursuing this success if it hadn't been for all the gigs I did around the North East, and further afield, when I was beginning," stated Sam Fender. "These locations are renowned, but they are struggling."
Beginning in 2023, more than 150 of these spaces have permanently closed – roughly 16% of the whole industry in the UK.
Recently, top acts including the band Pulp, Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Sheeran have all aided the trust in its efforts to keep the scene afloat, by applying a minor surcharge to their ticket costs, which goes to help local stages.
He also participated, raising in excess of £100,000 on his recent tour to help numerous small stages across England, Scotland, and Wales.
The money assisted locations that were dealing with imminent closure due to issues arising from flooding, fires and personal losses, as well as permit problems, legal disputes and neighbor objections.
Some locations obtained funding support in improving infrastructure and sound and lighting systems that positively impacted artists and concertgoers.
"The idea that revenue from performances in big venues helps the independent spots, where it begins for musicians like me, is just sensible," Sam Fender has said.
He is far from the only musician to contribute his Mercury Prize prize money to charitable organizations.
Back when they won the award in 1996 for their record Different Class, vocalist Cocker stated that the band would give their cash to the charity the charity.
During 2002, rapper and singer she split her award among several good causes, like the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell charity.
"I also donated a £1,000 to the center, to their gymnastics program, because I practiced gymnastics when I was growing up and they lacked new equipment," she explained to a publication.
In recent years, Ezra Collective gave their funds to the community center that developed their group, as well as other independent music bodies.
And the 1994 recipients they contributed their prize to a multiple sclerosis charity after a close contact was found to have the illness.
"Receiving the award was sufficient," said artist Small. "The money was the cherry on top but we didn't need the bonus, because we had the honor. So our victory impacted somebody else's life."
Recently, the MVT revealed it had protected several small stages in south-east England, by placing them under local control.
One venue in that area and the second in that location were acquired under the community ownership scheme, which is backed by Arts Council England and supporters who buy "shares" in the venues.
