Sam Fender has handed over the entirety of his twenty-five thousand pound award prize money to the MVT, which works to protect the Britain's grassroots music venues.
Fender was given the award on mid-October as his third album the album was named the outstanding release of the past year.
Fender has chosen to give the cash to the trust, in acknowledgment of the essential function small stages had in his beginning days.
"As an artist would not have achieved this success if it weren't for all the performances I performed around the region, and further afield, when I was just getting going," said Fender. "These spaces are legendary, but they are struggling."
Beginning in 2023, at least 150 of these venues have ceased operations – roughly 16% of the whole industry in the UK.
In the last year, major artists such as the band Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all supported the trust in its efforts to support the industry, by including a minor surcharge to their ticket costs, which benefits smaller concert halls.
Sam Fender also took part, collecting over £100k on his recent tour to support thirty-eight grassroots venues across the UK.
These funds supported venues that were confronting possible closure due to issues caused by water damage, fire incidents and personal losses, as well as regulatory hurdles, court cases and neighbor objections.
Additional spaces obtained financial assistance in upgrading infrastructure and sound and lighting systems that positively impacted artists and audiences.
"The idea that funds from performances in large arenas helps the independent spots, where it all starts for musicians like me, is just sensible," Sam Fender has commented.
Fender is among several artists to give his Mercury Prize winnings to charitable organizations.
When they earned the trophy in 1996 for their album Different Class, frontman Cocker declared that the band would contribute their prize money to the organization War Child.
In 2002, musician the artist divided her prize across a few organizations, such as the NSPCC and a charity for Sickle Cell.
"Additionally, I gave a grand to my local community centre, to their gymnastics program, because I did gymnastics when I was growing up and they required better apparatus," she explained to the media.
Previously, Ezra Collective contributed their prize money to the community center that supported their band, alongside other independent music bodies.
Additionally the 1994 recipients they gave their prize to a multiple sclerosis charity after a acquaintance was identified with the illness.
"The victory was ample," said vocalist Heather Small. "The money was the bonus but we didn't require the extra, because we had the main prize. So our winning affected the lives of others."
Recently, the MVT announced it had saved several local spots in that region, by placing them under local control.
The first in the city and the second in that location were bought under the public acquisition program, which is backed by a national body and supporters who acquire "shares" in the venues.
