Sam Fender has handed over the entirety of his twenty-five thousand pound honor winnings to the Music Venues Trust, which operates to protect the United Kingdom's small concert spaces.
The star was given the prize on mid-October as his latest record the album was named the best record of the last 12 months.
Fender has decided to hand the money over to the Music Venues Trust, in recognition of the vital role small stages played in his beginning days.
"I wouldn't be doing what I am doing today if it wasn't for all the performances I performed around the area, and beyond, when I was starting out," said Fender. "These locations are iconic, but they are struggling."
From early 2023 onward, more than 150 of these locations have shut down – roughly 16% of the whole industry in the UK.
In the last year, well-known musicians like the band Pulp, the group Coldplay, Katy Perry and Sheeran have all aided the Music Venues Trust in its attempts to support the industry, by applying a minor surcharge to their ticket costs, which supports independent venues.
Sam Fender also participated, generating over £100k on his 2024 arena tour to assist thirty-eight small stages across Britain.
The money helped spaces that were dealing with imminent closure due to challenges caused by floods, fire incidents and personal losses, as well as permit problems, court cases and neighbor objections.
Other venues received financial assistance in upgrading amenities and sound and lighting systems that positively impacted musicians and fans.
"The concept that money from shows in large arenas backs the local stages, where it begins for musicians like me, is just logical," Fender has said.
He is not the first artist to contribute his Mercury Prize winnings to worthy causes.
In they earned the award in 1996 for their record Different Class, frontman Jarvis Cocker stated that the band would donate their cash to the non-profit War Child.
That year, artist Ms Dynamite split her prize across multiple organizations, like the children's charity and a Sickle Cell organization.
"Additionally, I donated a grand to the center, to their gymnastics class, because I did gymnastics when I was a child and they lacked updated gear," Ms Dynamite told the media.
Previously, they donated their funds to the youth organization that nurtured their band, as well as other grassroots music organisations.
Additionally the 1994 recipients they contributed their prize to a charity for MS after a friend was found to have the illness.
"The victory was ample," said artist the singer. "The cash was the bonus but we didn't require the extra, because we had the honor. So our victory impacted somebody else's life."
In the past week, the Music Venues Trust shared it had protected several small stages in the South East, by transferring them to local control.
The first in that area and the other in Bristol were purchased under the community ownership scheme, which is supported by the arts council and enthusiasts who buy "ownership units" in the buildings.
