Sam Fender has given the complete sum of his twenty-five thousand pound Mercury Prize winnings to the MVT, which functions to preserve the UK's grassroots live music spots.
He was presented with the award on October 16 as his latest record his work was declared the top album of the previous year.
The musician has decided to donate the funds to the MVT, in acknowledgment of the crucial part grassroots venues had in his initial steps.
"I couldn't be pursuing this success if it hadn't been for all the performances I performed around the area, and beyond, when I was starting out," said the artist. "These locations are renowned, but they are facing challenges."
From early 2023 onward, at least 150 of these venues have shut down – about one-sixth of the whole industry in the UK.
Recently, well-known musicians like Pulp, the group Coldplay, Katy Perry and Sheeran have all aided the Music Venues Trust in its attempts to help venues survive, by applying a modest fee to their ticket prices, which benefits independent venues.
Fender also participated, generating over £100k on his live tour to support thirty-eight grassroots venues across England, Scotland, and Wales.
The donation helped locations that were confronting possible closure due to difficulties caused by water damage, blazes and family tragedies, as well as permit problems, legal disputes and neighbor objections.
Other venues received financial assistance in modernizing amenities and sound and lighting systems that directly benefitted musicians and fans.
"The concept that money from performances in large arenas backs the smaller venues, where it begins for artists like me, is just logical," Sam Fender has said.
He is not the first artist to contribute his award prize money to charitable organizations.
When the band received the prize in the year 1996 for their release Different Class, frontman Cocker declared that the act would give their prize money to the organization War Child.
In 2002, musician she shared her bounty among a few good causes, like the children's charity and a Sickle Cell charity.
"Additionally, I gave a £1,000 to my local community centre, to their gymnastics program, because I did gymnastics when I was growing up and they required better apparatus," the artist told a publication.
Two years ago, Ezra Collective donated their prize money to the youth organization that nurtured their act, as well as other local music groups.
Additionally the 1994 recipients they gave their prize to a charity for MS after a acquaintance was identified with the condition.
"The victory was sufficient," said vocalist Heather Small. "The cash was the cherry on top but we didn't require the cherry, because we had the cake. So our winning affected somebody else's life."
In the past week, the Music Venues Trust announced it had rescued two small stages in south-east England, by bringing them into community ownership.
The Joiners in the city and the other in that location were acquired under the Own Our Venues scheme, which is funded by a national body and enthusiasts who purchase "stakes" in the properties.
