Sam Fender has given the entirety of his £25k Mercury Prize prize money to the Music Venues Trust, which operates to save the United Kingdom's independent music venues.
He was awarded the award on mid-October as his new release the album was chosen as the outstanding release of the last 12 months.
He has opted to give the cash to the trust, in acknowledgment of the crucial part grassroots venues fulfilled in his beginning days.
"I wouldn't be doing this success if it weren't for all the shows I played around the area, and beyond, when I was beginning," said Sam Fender. "These venues are iconic, but they are in difficulty."
Since the start of 2023, at least 150 of these spaces have ceased operations – roughly 16% of the entire UK sector.
Over the past year, major artists including Pulp, the group Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Sheeran have all supported the MVT in its attempts to keep the scene afloat, by adding a small levy to their ticket prices, which goes to help independent venues.
Sam Fender also joined in, collecting in excess of £100,000 on his 2024 arena tour to support 38 local spots across England, Scotland, and Wales.
The donation helped locations that were facing imminent closure due to issues caused by flooding, blazes and family tragedies, as well as licensing issues, conflicts and neighbor objections.
Some locations were granted funding support in upgrading amenities and technical equipment that helped musicians and concertgoers.
"The notion that revenue from concerts in big venues supports the independent spots, where it all starts for artists like me, is just sensible," the star has stated.
He is far from the only musician to give his honor funds to charitable organizations.
When Pulp received the trophy in 1996 for their album Different Class, frontman Cocker stated that the group would contribute their prize money to the charity the charity.
During 2002, musician Ms Dynamite divided her award across multiple good causes, like the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell charity.
"And I gave a thousand pounds to my local community centre, to their gymnastics program, because I did gymnastics when I was a child and they lacked new equipment," she explained to a publication.
In recent years, Ezra Collective gave their winnings to the youth organization that developed their act, alongside other independent music bodies.
Also 1994 winners M People contributed their prize to a MS organization after a friend was diagnosed the illness.
"The victory was sufficient," said singer Small. "The money was the bonus but we didn't need the extra, because we had the honor. So our winning impacted another person's life."
Last week, the Music Venues Trust revealed it had rescued several grassroots venues in that region, by bringing them into community ownership.
The Joiners in Southampton and the other in the city were purchased under the community ownership scheme, which is supported by the arts council and enthusiasts who acquire "shares" in the venues.
