Sam Fender has donated the entirety of his twenty-five thousand pound Mercury Prize cash to the MVT, which works to protect the United Kingdom's independent live music spots.
The star was given the prize on mid-October as his new release the album was declared the outstanding release of the last 12 months.
Fender has chosen to donate the funds to the MVT, in acknowledgment of the vital role local spots had in his beginning days.
"I wouldn't be doing this success if it wasn't for all the performances I did around the North East, and further afield, when I was beginning," stated Sam Fender. "These venues are renowned, but they are facing challenges."
From early 2023 onward, over 150 of these spaces have shut down – about one-sixth of the whole industry in the UK.
Recently, well-known musicians such as Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all supported the MVT in its attempts to keep the scene afloat, by applying a modest fee to their ticket prices, which benefits smaller concert halls.
Fender also took part, raising in excess of £100,000 on his live tour to assist 38 small stages across the UK.
The donation helped spaces that were facing potential shutdown due to challenges stemming from floods, blazes and personal losses, as well as permit problems, court cases and noise complaints.
Some locations obtained financial assistance in upgrading amenities and gear that positively impacted artists and fans.
"The concept that revenue from concerts in large arenas helps the independent spots, where it all starts for artists like me, is just sensible," Sam Fender has said.
The musician is far from the only musician to contribute his award winnings to good deeds.
Back when they won the trophy in the mid-90s for their release the album, frontman the singer announced that the band would donate their winnings to the charity War Child.
During 2002, rapper and singer the artist divided her bounty among several charities, such as the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell organization.
"And I contributed a grand to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics class, because I trained in gymnastics when I was growing up and they needed updated gear," she shared with a publication.
In recent years, Ezra Collective donated their winnings to the youth organization that supported their band, alongside other grassroots music organisations.
Additionally winners that year the group donated their prize to a charity for MS after a acquaintance was found to have the illness.
"The victory was ample," stated artist Small. "The money was the cherry on top but we didn't require the cherry, because we had the cake. So our victory touched another person's life."
Recently, the trust revealed it had protected a couple of local spots in that region, by placing them under community ownership.
The first in the city and the other in that location were acquired under the community ownership scheme, which is backed by Arts Council England and supporters who purchase "ownership units" in the venues.
