Sam Fender has given the entirety of his twenty-five thousand pound Mercury Prize cash to the Music Venues Trust, which works to save the Britain's grassroots live music spots.
He was presented with the award on mid-October as his latest record the album was named the top album of the previous year.
The musician has opted to donate the funds to the MVT, in recognition of the crucial part small stages played in his beginning days.
"I personally would not have achieved this success if it hadn't been for all the gigs I played around the area, and beyond, when I was just getting going," remarked Sam Fender. "These venues are legendary, but they are struggling."
Beginning in 2023, at least 150 of these locations have permanently closed – about one-sixth of the entire UK sector.
Over the past year, major artists including the band Pulp, the group Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all backed the trust in its initiatives to support the industry, by applying a small levy to their ticket costs, which supports independent venues.
Sam Fender also participated, generating more than £100,000 on his 2024 arena tour to support 38 local spots across the UK.
The money helped locations that were confronting potential shutdown due to issues arising from floods, fire incidents and bereavements, as well as licensing issues, court cases and noise complaints.
Other venues were granted monetary aid in upgrading facilities and sound and lighting systems that helped artists and audiences.
"The concept that revenue from performances in big venues backs the local stages, where it begins for artists like me, is just sensible," the star has stated.
He is not the first artist to contribute his honor prize money to worthy causes.
In the band earned the prize in 1996 for their record Different Class, lead singer the singer declared that the act would give their prize money to the charity the charity.
During 2002, artist the artist shared her award across several good causes, such as the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell organization.
"And I donated a grand to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics program, because I trained in gymnastics when I was younger and they required new equipment," Ms Dynamite shared with outlets.
Previously, Ezra Collective contributed their winnings to the youth organization that nurtured their group, as well as other independent music bodies.
And 1994 winners they gave their award to a charity for MS after a friend was identified with the disease.
"Receiving the award was quite enough," remarked singer the singer. "The money was the bonus but we could do without the cherry, because we had the main prize. So our success touched somebody else's life."
Recently, the Music Venues Trust announced it had rescued a couple of grassroots venues in that region, by bringing them into public stewardship.
The first in the city and the other in the city were purchased under the community ownership initiative, which is supported by Arts Council England and enthusiasts who buy "stakes" in the properties.
