Sam Fender has given the complete sum of his £25,000 honor winnings to the MVT, which functions to protect the United Kingdom's grassroots live music spots.
Fender was awarded the cheque on 16 October as his latest record the album was chosen as the outstanding release of the last 12 months.
He has chosen to donate the funds to the Music Venues Trust, in appreciation of the essential function local spots played in his beginning days.
"As an artist couldn't be pursuing this success if it wasn't for all the gigs I played around the area, and elsewhere, when I was starting out," remarked Sam Fender. "These venues are iconic, but they are in difficulty."
Beginning in 2023, more than 150 of these locations have permanently closed – roughly one-sixth of the entire UK sector.
Over the past year, top acts like Pulp, Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all supported the Music Venues Trust in its attempts to support the industry, by adding a small levy to their admission fees, which benefits smaller concert halls.
He also joined in, raising more than £100,000 on his recent tour to support thirty-eight local spots across England, Scotland, and Wales.
The money assisted spaces that were dealing with imminent closure due to difficulties stemming from floods, blazes and personal losses, as well as licensing issues, legal disputes and sound issues.
Some locations were granted funding support in upgrading amenities and sound and lighting systems that positively impacted musicians and audiences.
"The idea that funds from concerts in large arenas helps the local stages, where it all starts for artists like me, is just common sense," Fender has commented.
The musician is far from the only musician to donate his Mercury Prize winnings to charitable organizations.
In the band earned the trophy in 1996 for their record their work, frontman Jarvis Cocker announced that the band would give their cash to the charity War Child.
In 2002, artist Ms Dynamite split her prize among several charities, including the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell charity.
"Additionally, I gave a grand to my local community centre, to their gymnastics class, because I did gymnastics when I was growing up and they lacked new equipment," Ms Dynamite told outlets.
In recent years, Ezra Collective gave their winnings to the local youth club that supported their act, as well as other local music groups.
Additionally the 1994 recipients M People contributed their award to a multiple sclerosis charity after a acquaintance was identified with the condition.
"The victory was quite enough," remarked artist the singer. "The prize was the extra but we could do without the cherry, because we had the main prize. So our winning affected somebody else's life."
Last week, the trust shared it had saved several grassroots venues in that region, by bringing them into public stewardship.
The Joiners in that area and The Croft in Bristol were acquired under the public acquisition scheme, which is backed by the arts council and supporters who acquire "ownership units" in the buildings.
