Sam Fender has donated the entirety of his £25,000 Mercury Prize prize money to the MVT, which works to save the UK's independent live music spots.
The star was given the prize on October 16 as his new release the album was chosen as the top album of the last 12 months.
Fender has decided to donate the funds to the Music Venues Trust, in appreciation of the essential function local spots fulfilled in his early career.
"I would not have achieved my current career if it weren't for all the shows I played around the region, and elsewhere, when I was beginning," stated Sam Fender. "These venues are iconic, but they are struggling."
From early 2023 onward, more than 150 of these locations have ceased operations – approximately 16% of the total UK scene.
Over the past year, top acts like Pulp, the group Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Sheeran have all backed the MVT in its efforts to help venues survive, by including a modest fee to their ticket costs, which supports local stages.
He also participated, generating in excess of £100,000 on his live tour to assist thirty-eight grassroots venues across England, Scotland, and Wales.
The donation assisted locations that were dealing with possible closure due to difficulties arising from flooding, fire incidents and personal losses, as well as regulatory hurdles, conflicts and sound issues.
Some locations obtained monetary aid in modernizing amenities and gear that directly benefitted performers and fans.
"The notion that funds from shows in large arenas backs the local stages, where it begins for performers like me, is just sensible," Sam Fender has commented.
Fender is not the first artist to donate his award winnings to charitable organizations.
Back when Pulp won the prize in the year 1996 for their release their work, lead singer Cocker declared that the group would donate their prize money to the non-profit the charity.
During 2002, musician she divided her award across multiple charities, including the NSPCC and a charity for Sickle Cell.
"And I contributed a thousand pounds to the center, to their gymnastics program, because I did gymnastics when I was a child and they lacked better apparatus," the artist told a publication.
In recent years, they donated their funds to the local youth club that supported their group, in addition to other grassroots music organisations.
Also the 1994 recipients they donated their award to a multiple sclerosis charity after a acquaintance was identified with the illness.
"The victory was sufficient," said vocalist the singer. "The prize was the bonus but we could do without the bonus, because we had the cake. So our winning touched somebody else's life."
Recently, the MVT announced it had rescued several small stages in the South East, by bringing them into public stewardship.
The first in Southampton and the other in Bristol were purchased under the public acquisition scheme, which is supported by a national body and enthusiasts who buy "stakes" in the buildings.
