Sam Fender has handed over the full amount of his £25,000 honor winnings to the MVT, which functions to preserve the United Kingdom's grassroots live music spots.
Fender was awarded the cheque on October 16 as his new release his work was declared the outstanding release of the last 12 months.
The musician has decided to hand the money over to the trust, in recognition of the vital role grassroots venues had in his early career.
"I personally couldn't be pursuing this success if it hadn't been for all the gigs I did around the North East, and beyond, when I was starting out," stated Fender. "These venues are iconic, but they are facing challenges."
Since the start of 2023, over 150 of these locations have shut down – approximately 16 percent of the total UK scene.
In the last year, well-known musicians like Pulp, the group Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Sheeran have all supported the MVT in its attempts to keep the scene afloat, by applying a small levy to their ticket costs, which goes to help smaller concert halls.
Sam Fender also joined in, raising in excess of £100,000 on his recent tour to help thirty-eight small stages across the UK.
These funds supported venues that were confronting potential shutdown due to issues stemming from water damage, fire incidents and bereavements, as well as permit problems, legal disputes and noise complaints.
Some locations were granted monetary aid in modernizing infrastructure and gear that directly benefitted performers and audiences.
"The idea that revenue from shows in major spaces supports the smaller venues, where it begins for artists like me, is just sensible," Fender has stated.
He is not the first artist to donate his Mercury Prize winnings to worthy causes.
Back when they earned the award in 1996 for their record their work, vocalist Cocker declared that the group would give their prize money to the charity War Child.
During 2002, musician she split her bounty between a few organizations, including the children's charity and a charity for Sickle Cell.
"Additionally, I gave a £1,000 to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics class, because I did gymnastics when I was a child and they needed better apparatus," Ms Dynamite explained to outlets.
Previously, the band gave their prize money to the youth organization that nurtured their group, as well as other independent music bodies.
Also winners that year the group gave their winnings to a multiple sclerosis charity after a friend was identified with the condition.
"The victory was sufficient," remarked artist Small. "The prize was the bonus but we didn't require the cherry, because we had the honor. So our winning touched somebody else's life."
Recently, the MVT shared it had protected a couple of local spots in the South East, by bringing them into public stewardship.
One venue in that area and the second in that location were acquired under the public acquisition scheme, which is funded by a national body and music fans who acquire "shares" in the buildings.
