Sam Fender has donated the full amount of his twenty-five thousand pound Mercury Prize cash to the Music Venues Trust, which operates to preserve the United Kingdom's grassroots live music spots.
The star was presented with the award on 16 October as his third album the album was declared the top album of the past year.
He has chosen to give the cash to the trust, in acknowledgment of the essential function grassroots venues played in his initial steps.
"I would not have achieved this success if it weren't for all the performances I did around the North East, and beyond, when I was just getting going," stated Sam Fender. "These venues are iconic, but they are struggling."
Since the start of 2023, over 150 of these locations have ceased operations – roughly one-sixth of the total UK scene.
In the last year, major artists like Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Sheeran have all supported the MVT in its efforts to support the industry, by adding a small levy to their ticket costs, which goes to help independent venues.
He also took part, raising over £100k on his recent tour to support numerous small stages across England, Scotland, and Wales.
The money assisted locations that were confronting possible closure due to difficulties caused by floods, fire incidents and bereavements, as well as permit problems, legal disputes and neighbor objections.
Some locations were granted monetary aid in improving amenities and technical equipment that directly benefitted musicians and fans.
"The idea that funds from performances in large arenas supports the smaller venues, where it kicks off for musicians like me, is just logical," Fender has stated.
Fender is not the first artist to donate his award prize money to worthy causes.
When Pulp earned the trophy in 1996 for their release Different Class, vocalist Cocker stated that the band would donate their winnings to the charity War Child.
That year, rapper and singer she split her prize between multiple charities, including the children's charity and a Sickle Cell organization.
"And I gave a thousand pounds to my local community centre, to their gymnastics class, because I practiced gymnastics when I was growing up and they lacked new equipment," she told outlets.
In recent years, they contributed their winnings to the community center that developed their group, in addition to other grassroots music organisations.
And winners that year the group contributed their award to a MS organization after a friend was found to have the disease.
"Winning was sufficient," said vocalist Small. "The cash was the extra but we didn't require the cherry, because we had the main prize. So our winning impacted the lives of others."
Last week, the MVT revealed it had saved a couple of small stages in south-east England, by transferring them to local control.
One venue in Southampton and the second in Bristol were purchased under the public acquisition program, which is funded by Arts Council England and enthusiasts who acquire "shares" in the buildings.
