Sam Fender has donated the entirety of his twenty-five thousand pound Mercury Prize cash to the MVT, which functions to save the Britain's independent live music spots.
The star was presented with the prize on October 16 as his third album People Watching was named the top album of the last 12 months.
The musician has chosen to hand the money over to the MVT, in appreciation of the essential function local spots played in his early career.
"I couldn't be pursuing what I am doing today if it wasn't for all the performances I performed around the area, and further afield, when I was starting out," said Fender. "These locations are iconic, but they are in difficulty."
Beginning in 2023, over 150 of these spaces have ceased operations – roughly 16 percent of the whole industry in the UK.
Over the past year, top acts like Pulp, the group Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all supported the MVT in its attempts to help venues survive, by adding a modest fee to their admission fees, which goes to help smaller concert halls.
Sam Fender also participated, generating over £100k on his 2024 arena tour to support thirty-eight small stages across the UK.
The donation helped venues that were facing potential shutdown due to difficulties stemming from flooding, fires and family tragedies, as well as regulatory hurdles, conflicts and noise complaints.
Some locations were granted financial assistance in modernizing facilities and gear that positively impacted musicians and fans.
"The concept that funds from concerts in big venues backs the independent spots, where it kicks off for performers like me, is just sensible," Fender has commented.
He is not the first artist to give his Mercury Prize prize money to worthy causes.
Back when the band won the prize in the mid-90s for their record their work, lead singer Cocker stated that the act would contribute their winnings to the non-profit War Child.
In 2002, musician Ms Dynamite shared her bounty among several good causes, like the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell organization.
"And I donated a £1,000 to the center, to their classes, because I practiced gymnastics when I was younger and they needed new equipment," Ms Dynamite told outlets.
Previously, Ezra Collective gave their prize money to the community center that developed their band, alongside other local music groups.
Additionally winners that year they gave their winnings to a MS organization after a close contact was identified with the disease.
"Winning was ample," remarked artist Small. "The cash was the bonus but we didn't need the bonus, because we had the cake. So our success impacted the lives of others."
Last week, the trust shared it had protected a couple of small stages in that region, by transferring them to community ownership.
The Joiners in Southampton and the other in that location were acquired under the public acquisition initiative, which is funded by a national body and enthusiasts who buy "ownership units" in the properties.
