Sam Fender gives his £25k prize award winnings to independent live spaces
The star has given the full amount of his twenty-five thousand pound Mercury Prize winnings to the MVT, which works to save the United Kingdom's grassroots live music spots.
The star was given the cheque on mid-October as his new release his work was chosen as the top album of the past year.
He has decided to give the cash to the Music Venues Trust, in acknowledgment of the essential function local spots fulfilled in his early career.
"I personally couldn't be pursuing what I am doing today if it hadn't been for all the shows I performed around the region, and further afield, when I was starting out," remarked the artist. "These locations are legendary, but they are struggling."
Since the start of 2023, at least 150 of these locations have ceased operations – approximately 16 percent of the entire UK sector.
Over the past year, major artists like Pulp, the group Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all backed the trust in its efforts to keep the scene afloat, by adding a small levy to their ticket prices, which benefits local stages.
Fender also took part, generating in excess of £100,000 on his recent tour to assist numerous small stages across England, Scotland, and Wales.
These funds helped spaces that were facing imminent closure due to issues caused by floods, blazes and family tragedies, as well as permit problems, court cases and sound issues.
Other venues received funding support in modernizing amenities and gear that directly benefitted performers and audiences.
"The concept that money from performances in large arenas supports the local stages, where it begins for artists like me, is just logical," Sam Fender has said.
The musician is far from the only musician to give his honor prize money to charitable organizations.
When Pulp won the trophy in the year 1996 for their album their work, lead singer the singer announced that the band would contribute their prize money to the charity the charity.
During 2002, rapper and singer the artist divided her prize across a few charities, including the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell organization.
"I also donated a grand to my local community centre, to their classes, because I trained in gymnastics when I was growing up and they needed updated gear," the artist shared with a publication.
In recent years, they contributed their funds to the youth organization that supported their group, as well as other local music groups.
And the 1994 recipients they contributed their award to a MS organization after a close contact was identified with the disease.
"Receiving the award was quite enough," remarked vocalist the singer. "The cash was the extra but we could do without the extra, because we had the honor. So our victory touched somebody else's life."
Recently, the trust shared it had protected two local spots in south-east England, by bringing them into local control.
The Joiners in that area and The Croft in that location were bought under the Own Our Venues program, which is funded by a national body and supporters who purchase "ownership units" in the buildings.