Sam Fender has given the complete sum of his £25,000 award cash to the MVT, which operates to preserve the United Kingdom's small concert spaces.
The star was presented with the cheque on October 16 as his latest record People Watching was named the top album of the last 12 months.
He has chosen to hand the money over to the Music Venues Trust, in recognition of the crucial part local spots had in his initial steps.
"I personally would not have achieved this success if it weren't for all the shows I played around the region, and beyond, when I was just getting going," remarked Fender. "These locations are legendary, but they are in difficulty."
Beginning in 2023, more than 150 of these spaces have permanently closed – roughly 16% of the total UK scene.
Over the past year, well-known musicians such as Pulp, Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Sheeran have all backed the Music Venues Trust in its initiatives to support the industry, by applying a small levy to their ticket costs, which supports local stages.
Sam Fender also participated, collecting over £100k on his 2024 arena tour to assist thirty-eight grassroots venues across Britain.
These funds helped locations that were confronting possible closure due to challenges stemming from water damage, fires and family tragedies, as well as regulatory hurdles, legal disputes and neighbor objections.
Some locations were granted financial assistance in modernizing amenities and sound and lighting systems that helped artists and concertgoers.
"The concept that money from shows in major spaces backs the smaller venues, where it all starts for artists like me, is just logical," the star has stated.
He is far from the only musician to donate his Mercury Prize prize money to good deeds.
Back when the band earned the trophy in 1996 for their album their work, frontman Jarvis Cocker declared that the act would donate their prize money to the charity War Child.
In 2002, artist the artist shared her bounty among multiple charities, including the children's charity and a Sickle Cell charity.
"I also contributed a thousand pounds to the center, to their classes, because I practiced gymnastics when I was younger and they required updated gear," the artist shared with a publication.
In recent years, they donated their funds to the local youth club that supported their group, as well as other grassroots music organisations.
And 1994 winners the group contributed their winnings to a MS organization after a acquaintance was diagnosed the illness.
"Winning was quite enough," stated vocalist the singer. "The prize was the extra but we could do without the bonus, because we had the main prize. So our success impacted somebody else's life."
Recently, the trust announced it had rescued several local spots in the South East, by placing them under local control.
One venue in the city and the second in that location were bought under the public acquisition program, which is supported by the arts council and enthusiasts who buy "shares" in the properties.
