Sam Fender has given the complete sum of his £25,000 Mercury Prize prize money to the Music Venues Trust, which functions to preserve the UK's independent live music spots.
The star was awarded the cheque on October 16 as his latest record the album was declared the best record of the past year.
Fender has decided to donate the funds to the trust, in recognition of the crucial part grassroots venues fulfilled in his initial steps.
"I would not have achieved what I am doing today if it hadn't been for all the performances I performed around the area, and elsewhere, when I was just getting going," remarked Sam Fender. "These venues are iconic, but they are struggling."
From early 2023 onward, more than 150 of these venues have permanently closed – roughly one-sixth of the entire UK sector.
Recently, well-known musicians like Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Sheeran have all backed the Music Venues Trust in its attempts to support the industry, by including a minor surcharge to their admission fees, which goes to help independent venues.
Sam Fender also joined in, generating more than £100,000 on his live tour to support 38 small stages across Britain.
These funds helped spaces that were facing imminent closure due to difficulties arising from water damage, fires and bereavements, as well as licensing issues, legal disputes and sound issues.
Some locations were granted financial assistance in modernizing infrastructure and technical equipment that positively impacted performers and fans.
"The notion that funds from performances in large arenas supports the independent spots, where it all starts for artists like me, is just common sense," Fender has commented.
Fender is not the first artist to contribute his award funds to good deeds.
When they won the trophy in the year 1996 for their record their work, frontman Jarvis Cocker declared that the band would give their prize money to the charity the charity.
That year, musician Ms Dynamite shared her prize between multiple organizations, including the NSPCC and a charity for Sickle Cell.
"Additionally, I contributed a grand to my local community centre, to their classes, because I trained in gymnastics when I was growing up and they needed updated gear," the artist explained to outlets.
Two years ago, the band donated their winnings to the local youth club that nurtured their band, as well as other independent music bodies.
Also winners that year the group donated their award to a multiple sclerosis charity after a friend was diagnosed the disease.
"The victory was ample," stated singer Small. "The money was the extra but we didn't require the bonus, because we had the main prize. So our winning touched another person's life."
In the past week, the trust shared it had protected a couple of grassroots venues in the South East, by transferring them to local control.
The first in Southampton and The Croft in Bristol were purchased under the community ownership scheme, which is funded by the arts council and music fans who acquire "ownership units" in the venues.
