Sam Fender has given the entirety of his £25k award prize money to the Music Venues Trust, which operates to preserve the United Kingdom's grassroots music venues.
Fender was given the prize on October 16 as his third album his work was declared the outstanding release of the last 12 months.
Fender has chosen to donate the funds to the Music Venues Trust, in appreciation of the crucial part small stages had in his beginning days.
"As an artist wouldn't be doing what I am doing today if it wasn't for all the performances I performed around the North East, and elsewhere, when I was just getting going," said Fender. "These venues are iconic, but they are facing challenges."
Beginning in 2023, at least 150 of these locations have permanently closed – roughly one-sixth of the whole industry in the UK.
In the last year, major artists including the band Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all supported the Music Venues Trust in its initiatives to help venues survive, by adding a small levy to their ticket costs, which goes to help smaller concert halls.
Sam Fender also participated, generating in excess of £100,000 on his recent tour to support 38 small stages across England, Scotland, and Wales.
The donation supported spaces that were confronting possible closure due to difficulties caused by floods, fires and family tragedies, as well as permit problems, conflicts and noise complaints.
Other venues obtained funding support in modernizing infrastructure and sound and lighting systems that positively impacted performers and audiences.
"The concept that money from shows in big venues helps the smaller venues, where it begins for artists like me, is just logical," the star has commented.
Fender is far from the only musician to donate his Mercury Prize prize money to charitable organizations.
In Pulp received the award in the year 1996 for their album their work, vocalist Cocker declared that the group would contribute their prize money to the organization War Child.
During 2002, artist the artist shared her award across a few organizations, such as the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell organization.
"And I contributed a grand to my local community centre, to their gymnastics class, because I trained in gymnastics when I was growing up and they lacked updated gear," Ms Dynamite explained to the media.
Two years ago, Ezra Collective donated their prize money to the local youth club that supported their band, as well as other independent music bodies.
Additionally winners that year the group donated their award to a MS organization after a close contact was identified with the condition.
"Winning was sufficient," stated singer Small. "The prize was the cherry on top but we didn't require the extra, because we had the cake. So our success affected somebody else's life."
Recently, the trust revealed it had protected two grassroots venues in that region, by placing them under local control.
The first in that area and the other in the city were purchased under the public acquisition program, which is supported by Arts Council England and enthusiasts who buy "shares" in the buildings.
