Sam Fender has donated the complete sum of his twenty-five thousand pound award winnings to the trust for venues, which operates to save the UK's grassroots music venues.
Fender was presented with the award on October 16 as his third album his work was named the best record of the past year.
He has decided to hand the money over to the trust, in recognition of the essential function grassroots venues fulfilled in his beginning days.
"I couldn't be pursuing what I am doing today if it hadn't been for all the shows I played around the North East, and beyond, when I was just getting going," said the artist. "These spaces are legendary, but they are in difficulty."
Since the start of 2023, at least 150 of these venues have ceased operations – approximately 16% of the entire UK sector.
In the last year, well-known musicians like the band Pulp, the group Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all aided the MVT in its initiatives to keep the scene afloat, by adding a minor surcharge to their admission fees, which benefits independent venues.
He also participated, collecting in excess of £100,000 on his recent tour to support numerous small stages across England, Scotland, and Wales.
The money helped spaces that were facing potential shutdown due to difficulties caused by flooding, fires and family tragedies, as well as regulatory hurdles, conflicts and neighbor objections.
Some locations obtained monetary aid in upgrading facilities and sound and lighting systems that positively impacted musicians and fans.
"The idea that funds from concerts in big venues supports the local stages, where it begins for artists like me, is just sensible," Fender has commented.
He is among several artists to donate his Mercury Prize funds to charitable organizations.
When the band won the award in the mid-90s for their record Different Class, lead singer Jarvis Cocker declared that the band would contribute their cash to the non-profit War Child.
In 2002, rapper and singer she split her prize among several charities, including the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell organization.
"Additionally, I donated a thousand pounds to my local community centre, to their gymnastics class, because I did gymnastics when I was younger and they required new equipment," she explained to a publication.
Two years ago, Ezra Collective gave their prize money to the youth organization that developed their band, as well as other independent music bodies.
And winners that year they donated their prize to a MS organization after a friend was diagnosed the illness.
"The victory was ample," said singer Heather Small. "The money was the extra but we didn't require the bonus, because we had the main prize. So our victory touched somebody else's life."
Recently, the trust shared it had protected two local spots in the South East, by placing them under community ownership.
The Joiners in the city and the second in the city were purchased under the public acquisition scheme, which is funded by the arts council and enthusiasts who purchase "shares" in the properties.
