Sam Fender has given the complete sum of his twenty-five thousand pound honor prize money to the Music Venues Trust, which operates to protect the UK's independent music venues.
The star was presented with the award on mid-October as his latest record his work was declared the best record of the previous year.
Fender has chosen to give the cash to the trust, in recognition of the essential function small stages had in his initial steps.
"I wouldn't be doing this success if it weren't for all the performances I did around the North East, and beyond, when I was starting out," said Sam Fender. "These spaces are legendary, but they are struggling."
From early 2023 onward, at least 150 of these venues have ceased operations – roughly 16 percent of the entire UK sector.
Over the past year, well-known musicians including Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all backed the Music Venues Trust in its efforts to support the industry, by applying a small levy to their ticket prices, which benefits independent venues.
He also participated, generating in excess of £100,000 on his 2024 arena tour to assist 38 local spots across Britain.
The donation assisted venues that were dealing with imminent closure due to difficulties caused by floods, fires and bereavements, as well as licensing issues, conflicts and sound issues.
Other venues received funding support in improving infrastructure and sound and lighting systems that helped performers and concertgoers.
"The concept that revenue from shows in major spaces helps the local stages, where it all starts for artists like me, is just logical," the star has commented.
Fender is not the first artist to give his Mercury Prize funds to charitable organizations.
Back when Pulp won the prize in the mid-90s for their release their work, vocalist Jarvis Cocker declared that the group would donate their cash to the non-profit War Child.
That year, artist she split her bounty across several organizations, such as the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell organization.
"I also gave a thousand pounds to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics program, because I trained in gymnastics when I was growing up and they needed new equipment," she told outlets.
In recent years, the band donated their funds to the community center that developed their band, as well as other local music groups.
Additionally the 1994 recipients M People contributed their prize to a multiple sclerosis charity after a close contact was found to have the illness.
"Receiving the award was ample," remarked artist Heather Small. "The money was the bonus but we didn't require the bonus, because we had the honor. So our success touched somebody else's life."
Recently, the Music Venues Trust revealed it had rescued a couple of local spots in south-east England, by bringing them into local control.
The Joiners in the city and The Croft in Bristol were acquired under the public acquisition scheme, which is funded by a national body and enthusiasts who purchase "stakes" in the buildings.
