Sam Fender gives his £25k prize Mercury Prize to small live spaces

The star has donated the full amount of his twenty-five thousand pound award winnings to the Music Venues Trust, which works to preserve the UK's independent music venues.

He was presented with the award on October 16 as his new release People Watching was named the outstanding release of the last 12 months.

Fender has opted to hand the money over to the trust, in recognition of the essential function grassroots venues had in his beginning days.

"I couldn't be pursuing this success if it hadn't been for all the gigs I did around the North East, and further afield, when I was starting out," stated the artist. "These spaces are legendary, but they are facing challenges."

Beginning in 2023, over 150 of these venues have shut down – roughly one-sixth of the entire UK sector.

Recently, well-known musicians like Pulp, Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all supported the trust in its attempts to keep the scene afloat, by applying a minor surcharge to their ticket prices, which goes to help local stages.

Sam Fender also took part, collecting more than £100,000 on his recent tour to assist thirty-eight local spots across Britain.

These funds supported locations that were confronting imminent closure due to challenges stemming from floods, fires and family tragedies, as well as permit problems, court cases and noise complaints.

Additional spaces obtained monetary aid in upgrading facilities and technical equipment that directly benefitted performers and audiences.

"The notion that funds from performances in major spaces helps the smaller venues, where it kicks off for musicians like me, is just common sense," Sam Fender has said.

Fender is not the first artist to contribute his honor funds to good deeds.

When the band earned the award in the mid-90s for their record the album, vocalist Jarvis Cocker stated that the group would contribute their prize money to the non-profit War Child.

In 2002, artist Ms Dynamite shared her award across a few organizations, including the children's charity and a Sickle Cell organization.

"I also donated a grand to my local community centre, to their gymnastics program, because I trained in gymnastics when I was growing up and they lacked new equipment," the artist told a publication.

Previously, Ezra Collective contributed their winnings to the community center that developed their band, in addition to other local music groups.

Also the 1994 recipients they gave their award to a MS organization after a acquaintance was diagnosed the illness.

"Winning was sufficient," stated vocalist the singer. "The money was the cherry on top but we didn't require the bonus, because we had the honor. So our victory impacted the lives of others."

Recently, the Music Venues Trust revealed it had rescued two grassroots venues in that region, by placing them under community ownership.

One venue in the city and The Croft in that location were bought under the Own Our Venues program, which is funded by the arts council and enthusiasts who purchase "stakes" in the venues.