Sam Fender has handed over the full amount of his £25,000 honor cash to the MVT, which works to save the United Kingdom's independent live music spots.
He was awarded the award on October 16 as his third album People Watching was declared the top album of the last 12 months.
He has decided to donate the funds to the Music Venues Trust, in appreciation of the essential function local spots fulfilled in his beginning days.
"As an artist wouldn't be doing this success if it weren't for all the gigs I did around the region, and further afield, when I was just getting going," stated Sam Fender. "These spaces are renowned, but they are facing challenges."
Beginning in 2023, more than 150 of these venues have shut down – about 16% of the total UK scene.
In the last year, well-known musicians like Pulp, the group Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all supported the Music Venues Trust in its initiatives to keep the scene afloat, by adding a modest fee to their admission fees, which supports local stages.
He also took part, generating in excess of £100,000 on his 2024 arena tour to support 38 grassroots venues across England, Scotland, and Wales.
The money helped spaces that were confronting imminent closure due to issues caused by flooding, fires and personal losses, as well as regulatory hurdles, conflicts and noise complaints.
Some locations received funding support in modernizing infrastructure and technical equipment that positively impacted musicians and concertgoers.
"The notion that funds from shows in big venues supports the local stages, where it all starts for performers like me, is just sensible," Fender has commented.
He is not the first artist to donate his Mercury Prize winnings to good deeds.
Back when the band earned the prize in the mid-90s for their album the album, lead singer Cocker stated that the band would give their winnings to the organization the charity.
In 2002, artist Ms Dynamite divided her bounty among multiple charities, including the NSPCC and a charity for Sickle Cell.
"I also contributed a £1,000 to the center, to their gymnastics program, because I did gymnastics when I was a child and they needed better apparatus," the artist shared with outlets.
In recent years, they donated their winnings to the local youth club that nurtured their band, alongside other local music groups.
Additionally 1994 winners the group contributed their winnings to a MS organization after a acquaintance was diagnosed the disease.
"Winning was quite enough," said vocalist Heather Small. "The cash was the extra but we didn't require the bonus, because we had the cake. So our victory touched the lives of others."
Recently, the MVT announced it had protected two grassroots venues in that region, by placing them under public stewardship.
One venue in the city and the other in that location were purchased under the community ownership program, which is backed by a national body and music fans who acquire "shares" in the properties.
