Sam Fender has handed over the complete sum of his £25,000 Mercury Prize prize money to the Music Venues Trust, which functions to protect the United Kingdom's independent concert spaces.
The star was awarded the cheque on 16 October as his new release People Watching was declared the top album of the previous year.
Fender has chosen to donate the funds to the Music Venues Trust, in recognition of the crucial part local spots played in his early career.
"As an artist couldn't be pursuing what I am doing today if it hadn't been for all the performances I played around the North East, and beyond, when I was starting out," said Sam Fender. "These venues are legendary, but they are struggling."
Beginning in 2023, more than 150 of these locations have ceased operations – approximately 16 percent of the entire UK sector.
Over the past year, major artists like Pulp, Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all supported the Music Venues Trust in its initiatives to keep the scene afloat, by including a minor surcharge to their ticket costs, which goes to help independent venues.
He also joined in, collecting over £100k on his recent tour to help numerous local spots across the UK.
The money assisted locations that were confronting possible closure due to challenges arising from water damage, fire incidents and bereavements, as well as permit problems, legal disputes and sound issues.
Additional spaces received financial assistance in modernizing infrastructure and sound and lighting systems that positively impacted performers and fans.
"The notion that money from performances in big venues helps the local stages, where it all starts for artists like me, is just sensible," Fender has stated.
Fender is not the first artist to contribute his Mercury Prize funds to worthy causes.
In Pulp earned the award in 1996 for their album the album, lead singer Cocker stated that the band would give their prize money to the organization War Child.
That year, rapper and singer she shared her bounty among a few good causes, such as the children's charity and a Sickle Cell charity.
"I also contributed a grand to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics class, because I practiced gymnastics when I was younger and they required updated gear," the artist told a publication.
Two years ago, Ezra Collective gave their winnings to the youth organization that developed their group, alongside other independent music bodies.
Additionally winners that year the group gave their prize to a MS organization after a acquaintance was diagnosed the condition.
"Winning was ample," stated vocalist Small. "The prize was the extra but we didn't need the cherry, because we had the cake. So our winning impacted another person's life."
In the past week, the MVT shared it had rescued several local spots in the South East, by transferring them to public stewardship.
One venue in that area and The Croft in the city were purchased under the community ownership initiative, which is funded by the arts council and enthusiasts who acquire "stakes" in the buildings.
