Sam Fender has handed over the complete sum of his twenty-five thousand pound Mercury Prize winnings to the MVT, which functions to preserve the United Kingdom's small music venues.
He was presented with the award on October 16 as his third album his work was chosen as the top album of the last 12 months.
Fender has chosen to donate the funds to the MVT, in recognition of the crucial part small stages played in his initial steps.
"I personally wouldn't be doing my current career if it hadn't been for all the performances I did around the region, and elsewhere, when I was just getting going," stated Fender. "These venues are legendary, but they are in difficulty."
From early 2023 onward, over 150 of these locations have shut down – approximately one-sixth of the whole industry in the UK.
Over the past year, well-known musicians including the band Pulp, the group Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all supported the Music Venues Trust in its efforts to keep the scene afloat, by adding a minor surcharge to their ticket costs, which benefits smaller concert halls.
He also joined in, collecting more than £100,000 on his recent tour to help 38 small stages across England, Scotland, and Wales.
The donation assisted locations that were confronting imminent closure due to issues caused by flooding, blazes and bereavements, as well as permit problems, legal disputes and neighbor objections.
Some locations received funding support in upgrading amenities and gear that helped musicians and audiences.
"The idea that funds from concerts in major spaces helps the smaller venues, where it kicks off for performers like me, is just sensible," Fender has commented.
He is among several artists to contribute his award funds to charitable organizations.
Back when they won the award in the mid-90s for their record the album, frontman Jarvis Cocker declared that the act would donate their winnings to the non-profit War Child.
In 2002, musician the artist divided her award between several charities, like the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell organization.
"I also contributed a £1,000 to my local community centre, to their gymnastics program, because I trained in gymnastics when I was growing up and they required new equipment," Ms Dynamite explained to a publication.
Two years ago, the band contributed their funds to the community center that nurtured their act, in addition to other local music groups.
Also winners that year the group gave their prize to a MS organization after a friend was identified with the disease.
"Winning was sufficient," stated singer Heather Small. "The money was the bonus but we didn't need the cherry, because we had the main prize. So our victory affected somebody else's life."
Recently, the Music Venues Trust announced it had saved two small stages in the South East, by transferring them to public stewardship.
One venue in the city and the other in Bristol were purchased under the Own Our Venues scheme, which is funded by the arts council and supporters who purchase "shares" in the properties.
