Sam Fender has handed over the entirety of his twenty-five thousand pound Mercury Prize prize money to the Music Venues Trust, which functions to preserve the Britain's grassroots concert spaces.
Fender was presented with the cheque on mid-October as his new release People Watching was chosen as the best record of the previous year.
He has opted to hand the money over to the MVT, in recognition of the crucial part grassroots venues fulfilled in his beginning days.
"I personally would not have achieved this success if it weren't for all the gigs I did around the North East, and beyond, when I was starting out," remarked Fender. "These venues are iconic, but they are facing challenges."
Since the start of 2023, over 150 of these locations have shut down – roughly 16% of the entire UK sector.
Over the past year, major artists including Pulp, the group Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all supported the trust in its initiatives to support the industry, by adding a small levy to their admission fees, which supports smaller concert halls.
Fender also joined in, raising more than £100,000 on his 2024 arena tour to help thirty-eight small stages across the UK.
The donation helped locations that were confronting possible closure due to issues arising from water damage, fire incidents and bereavements, as well as licensing issues, court cases and noise complaints.
Some locations were granted funding support in upgrading infrastructure and sound and lighting systems that positively impacted musicians and fans.
"The notion that funds from shows in big venues helps the independent spots, where it kicks off for artists like me, is just sensible," Fender has stated.
He is among several artists to donate his award winnings to charitable organizations.
In Pulp received the prize in 1996 for their album their work, vocalist Cocker stated that the band would donate their cash to the organization War Child.
In 2002, artist Ms Dynamite split her award across several charities, such as the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell organization.
"I also contributed a grand to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics program, because I did gymnastics when I was a child and they required new equipment," she explained to a publication.
In recent years, Ezra Collective donated their funds to the community center that supported their band, in addition to other grassroots music organisations.
Additionally the 1994 recipients the group contributed their award to a MS organization after a friend was found to have the condition.
"Receiving the award was sufficient," said singer Small. "The money was the extra but we didn't require the bonus, because we had the main prize. So our victory impacted somebody else's life."
In the past week, the trust shared it had saved a couple of small stages in the South East, by transferring them to local control.
The first in that area and the second in that location were purchased under the public acquisition initiative, which is funded by Arts Council England and enthusiasts who buy "shares" in the properties.
