Sam Fender has given the complete sum of his twenty-five thousand pound award prize money to the trust for venues, which works to preserve the Britain's small live music spots.
He was awarded the cheque on October 16 as his latest record his work was named the outstanding release of the past year.
The musician has chosen to hand the money over to the trust, in appreciation of the essential function local spots had in his initial steps.
"I personally would not have achieved what I am doing today if it weren't for all the performances I did around the area, and further afield, when I was beginning," stated Sam Fender. "These venues are legendary, but they are struggling."
Since the start of 2023, at least 150 of these locations have shut down – roughly 16 percent of the total UK scene.
Recently, top acts including the band Pulp, Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all supported the Music Venues Trust in its initiatives to help venues survive, by applying a modest fee to their ticket prices, which goes to help smaller concert halls.
He also joined in, collecting in excess of £100,000 on his live tour to help thirty-eight small stages across Britain.
These funds assisted locations that were confronting imminent closure due to challenges caused by flooding, fire incidents and bereavements, as well as licensing issues, court cases and sound issues.
Other venues obtained monetary aid in upgrading facilities and technical equipment that positively impacted performers and audiences.
"The notion that revenue from performances in big venues supports the independent spots, where it kicks off for artists like me, is just common sense," Fender has commented.
Fender is far from the only musician to give his Mercury Prize prize money to good deeds.
In they earned the award in 1996 for their record their work, frontman Jarvis Cocker announced that the act would donate their winnings to the organization War Child.
In 2002, musician she split her award between multiple organizations, like the children's charity and a charity for Sickle Cell.
"And I donated a £1,000 to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics program, because I practiced gymnastics when I was a child and they needed better apparatus," Ms Dynamite told a publication.
Previously, Ezra Collective gave their winnings to the local youth club that nurtured their group, as well as other grassroots music organisations.
Also 1994 winners they gave their award to a charity for MS after a acquaintance was identified with the disease.
"Winning was sufficient," said vocalist the singer. "The cash was the cherry on top but we could do without the cherry, because we had the main prize. So our success impacted the lives of others."
Recently, the MVT announced it had rescued several small stages in south-east England, by transferring them to public stewardship.
The first in that area and the other in Bristol were purchased under the community ownership initiative, which is backed by the arts council and enthusiasts who acquire "ownership units" in the properties.
