Sam Fender has handed over the entirety of his twenty-five thousand pound award winnings to the MVT, which works to preserve the United Kingdom's independent concert spaces.
Fender was presented with the prize on mid-October as his new release his work was named the best record of the past year.
The musician has opted to give the cash to the MVT, in recognition of the essential function grassroots venues fulfilled in his early career.
"I would not have achieved what I am doing today if it hadn't been for all the performances I played around the area, and beyond, when I was beginning," stated Fender. "These spaces are iconic, but they are in difficulty."
From early 2023 onward, over 150 of these locations have permanently closed – approximately 16 percent of the whole industry in the UK.
Recently, top acts such as the band Pulp, Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Sheeran have all backed the trust in its initiatives to help venues survive, by applying a small levy to their ticket costs, which goes to help local stages.
He also took part, collecting in excess of £100,000 on his live tour to support numerous grassroots venues across the UK.
The money assisted venues that were dealing with potential shutdown due to difficulties stemming from water damage, fire incidents and bereavements, as well as permit problems, legal disputes and neighbor objections.
Additional spaces were granted monetary aid in modernizing facilities and sound and lighting systems that directly benefitted artists and concertgoers.
"The concept that revenue from concerts in large arenas supports the independent spots, where it begins for performers like me, is just sensible," Fender has commented.
Fender is far from the only musician to donate his Mercury Prize funds to worthy causes.
When they earned the trophy in 1996 for their album their work, vocalist Jarvis Cocker stated that the group would give their winnings to the non-profit the charity.
In 2002, artist she divided her prize among multiple organizations, including the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell charity.
"Additionally, I donated a £1,000 to my local community centre, to their classes, because I practiced gymnastics when I was a child and they needed new equipment," the artist told outlets.
Two years ago, they contributed their prize money to the local youth club that nurtured their act, in addition to other grassroots music organisations.
Additionally 1994 winners the group gave their winnings to a multiple sclerosis charity after a friend was found to have the disease.
"Winning was quite enough," stated singer Heather Small. "The money was the bonus but we didn't need the cherry, because we had the cake. So our winning impacted somebody else's life."
Last week, the Music Venues Trust announced it had rescued a couple of local spots in that region, by transferring them to community ownership.
The first in Southampton and The Croft in that location were bought under the Own Our Venues scheme, which is supported by a national body and music fans who acquire "shares" in the buildings.
