Sam Fender has handed over the full amount of his twenty-five thousand pound Mercury Prize winnings to the MVT, which operates to preserve the UK's small music venues.
He was given the award on October 16 as his third album his work was chosen as the best record of the previous year.
He has chosen to give the cash to the MVT, in acknowledgment of the crucial part small stages fulfilled in his early career.
"As an artist would not have achieved what I am doing today if it weren't for all the performances I did around the area, and beyond, when I was just getting going," stated the artist. "These locations are iconic, but they are in difficulty."
Beginning in 2023, more than 150 of these spaces have ceased operations – approximately 16 percent of the entire UK sector.
Over the past year, top acts including Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all backed the trust in its efforts to keep the scene afloat, by adding a minor surcharge to their ticket costs, which goes to help smaller concert halls.
Sam Fender also participated, collecting over £100k on his 2024 arena tour to assist thirty-eight grassroots venues across Britain.
The money supported spaces that were dealing with potential shutdown due to challenges caused by floods, blazes and personal losses, as well as permit problems, court cases and neighbor objections.
Some locations were granted monetary aid in improving amenities and gear that positively impacted artists and audiences.
"The concept that revenue from performances in large arenas helps the smaller venues, where it all starts for musicians like me, is just common sense," the star has commented.
Fender is among several artists to give his Mercury Prize winnings to worthy causes.
Back when they won the trophy in the mid-90s for their release the album, frontman Cocker announced that the act would give their winnings to the charity War Child.
During 2002, rapper and singer Ms Dynamite split her bounty between several good causes, including the children's charity and a Sickle Cell organization.
"Additionally, I gave a thousand pounds to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics class, because I trained in gymnastics when I was a child and they lacked better apparatus," she told the media.
In recent years, Ezra Collective gave their funds to the local youth club that developed their band, as well as other independent music bodies.
And the 1994 recipients M People contributed their prize to a charity for MS after a friend was identified with the condition.
"Winning was quite enough," said artist Small. "The cash was the cherry on top but we didn't require the extra, because we had the honor. So our success touched another person's life."
In the past week, the trust shared it had saved a couple of small stages in south-east England, by placing them under public stewardship.
The first in Southampton and the other in that location were acquired under the Own Our Venues scheme, which is supported by a national body and music fans who purchase "stakes" in the properties.
