The musician donates £25,000 Mercury Prize to grassroots concert halls

The star has given the full amount of his £25,000 honor winnings to the Music Venues Trust, which functions to save the Britain's independent music venues.

Fender was presented with the prize on mid-October as his third album his work was declared the top album of the last 12 months.

The musician has chosen to give the cash to the Music Venues Trust, in acknowledgment of the crucial part local spots had in his initial steps.

"I would not have achieved my current career if it weren't for all the shows I performed around the area, and further afield, when I was just getting going," said Fender. "These locations are renowned, but they are facing challenges."

From early 2023 onward, over 150 of these spaces have shut down – roughly 16% of the whole industry in the UK.

In the last year, top acts including Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Sheeran have all supported the MVT in its initiatives to keep the scene afloat, by applying a small levy to their admission fees, which goes to help local stages.

Sam Fender also took part, raising in excess of £100,000 on his live tour to help numerous grassroots venues across Britain.

The donation supported spaces that were dealing with imminent closure due to issues caused by flooding, fires and family tragedies, as well as licensing issues, court cases and neighbor objections.

Additional spaces were granted funding support in upgrading infrastructure and sound and lighting systems that directly benefitted musicians and fans.

"The notion that funds from performances in big venues supports the independent spots, where it all starts for performers like me, is just logical," Sam Fender has said.

Fender is not the first artist to donate his Mercury Prize funds to good deeds.

Back when they received the trophy in the year 1996 for their release the album, frontman the singer announced that the act would contribute their winnings to the charity the charity.

That year, rapper and singer the artist shared her award among multiple charities, like the children's charity and a Sickle Cell charity.

"And I contributed a £1,000 to the center, to their gymnastics class, because I trained in gymnastics when I was younger and they lacked new equipment," Ms Dynamite shared with a publication.

Two years ago, the band contributed their prize money to the youth organization that developed their group, alongside other local music groups.

Additionally winners that year they donated their award to a multiple sclerosis charity after a acquaintance was found to have the disease.

"Winning was ample," said artist Small. "The prize was the cherry on top but we could do without the extra, because we had the main prize. So our success impacted the lives of others."

Recently, the trust shared it had rescued a couple of small stages in south-east England, by placing them under community ownership.

The first in that area and The Croft in that location were purchased under the Own Our Venues initiative, which is backed by the arts council and supporters who acquire "stakes" in the properties.