Sam Fender has handed over the complete sum of his twenty-five thousand pound honor prize money to the Music Venues Trust, which functions to protect the United Kingdom's grassroots music venues.
He was awarded the award on mid-October as his latest record People Watching was chosen as the best record of the last 12 months.
The musician has decided to hand the money over to the trust, in acknowledgment of the vital role grassroots venues fulfilled in his early career.
"I personally couldn't be pursuing what I am doing today if it weren't for all the shows I performed around the region, and further afield, when I was beginning," stated Sam Fender. "These venues are iconic, but they are in difficulty."
Since the start of 2023, over 150 of these locations have shut down – roughly one-sixth of the total UK scene.
Over the past year, top acts including Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all backed the trust in its initiatives to keep the scene afloat, by adding a small levy to their ticket costs, which benefits smaller concert halls.
Fender also participated, raising over £100k on his 2024 arena tour to assist numerous small stages across Britain.
These funds supported locations that were dealing with imminent closure due to difficulties stemming from floods, fires and bereavements, as well as regulatory hurdles, legal disputes and noise complaints.
Some locations were granted funding support in modernizing facilities and sound and lighting systems that helped musicians and concertgoers.
"The concept that revenue from concerts in large arenas supports the local stages, where it kicks off for artists like me, is just common sense," Sam Fender has commented.
The musician is far from the only musician to give his Mercury Prize funds to worthy causes.
Back when the band received the trophy in 1996 for their record Different Class, lead singer Jarvis Cocker announced that the act would give their prize money to the organization War Child.
In 2002, rapper and singer she divided her award between several good causes, including the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell organization.
"I also donated a thousand pounds to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics program, because I did gymnastics when I was younger and they required updated gear," Ms Dynamite shared with the media.
Previously, Ezra Collective gave their winnings to the community center that supported their group, as well as other grassroots music organisations.
Additionally 1994 winners they donated their winnings to a multiple sclerosis charity after a friend was identified with the disease.
"Receiving the award was ample," said singer Heather Small. "The cash was the extra but we didn't require the cherry, because we had the cake. So our winning impacted the lives of others."
Recently, the Music Venues Trust shared it had rescued two small stages in the South East, by transferring them to public stewardship.
The Joiners in the city and the other in that location were bought under the community ownership initiative, which is supported by the arts council and supporters who buy "stakes" in the properties.
