Sam Fender contributes his £25k prize Mercury Prize to independent music venues
The star has donated the entirety of his £25k honor prize money to the Music Venues Trust, which works to preserve the United Kingdom's small concert spaces.
The star was presented with the award on October 16 as his latest record the album was named the best record of the past year.
The musician has decided to donate the funds to the MVT, in appreciation of the crucial part grassroots venues had in his initial steps.
"As an artist would not have achieved my current career if it wasn't for all the shows I did around the area, and further afield, when I was just getting going," stated the artist. "These venues are iconic, but they are in difficulty."
From early 2023 onward, over 150 of these locations have shut down – roughly 16% of the entire UK sector.
In the last year, major artists such as Pulp, the group Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all aided the Music Venues Trust in its initiatives to keep the scene afloat, by including a minor surcharge to their admission fees, which benefits smaller concert halls.
Fender also took part, collecting over £100k on his live tour to help 38 grassroots venues across Britain.
The donation helped locations that were facing potential shutdown due to difficulties arising from water damage, blazes and family tragedies, as well as permit problems, court cases and sound issues.
Some locations received monetary aid in upgrading amenities and technical equipment that helped musicians and concertgoers.
"The idea that revenue from concerts in large arenas supports the independent spots, where it kicks off for performers like me, is just sensible," Fender has commented.
He is far from the only musician to give his award prize money to good deeds.
In they earned the trophy in the mid-90s for their release the album, vocalist the singer announced that the group would contribute their cash to the non-profit War Child.
In 2002, artist she shared her award across several charities, like the children's charity and a Sickle Cell organization.
"I also contributed a £1,000 to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics class, because I practiced gymnastics when I was younger and they lacked new equipment," Ms Dynamite shared with outlets.
In recent years, they gave their winnings to the youth organization that developed their group, as well as other local music groups.
Also winners that year the group donated their winnings to a MS organization after a friend was identified with the illness.
"The victory was sufficient," said vocalist the singer. "The cash was the bonus but we didn't require the extra, because we had the cake. So our victory affected somebody else's life."
Last week, the Music Venues Trust revealed it had rescued a couple of local spots in the South East, by transferring them to community ownership.
The first in Southampton and the other in that location were acquired under the community ownership initiative, which is funded by the arts council and enthusiasts who purchase "ownership units" in the venues.