The artist contributes his £25k prize Mercury Prize to grassroots music venues

Sam Fender has donated the complete sum of his £25k honor cash to the Music Venues Trust, which functions to protect the United Kingdom's small live music spots.

The star was presented with the award on 16 October as his latest record the album was chosen as the best record of the last 12 months.

Fender has decided to donate the funds to the Music Venues Trust, in appreciation of the essential function small stages fulfilled in his beginning days.

"I personally couldn't be pursuing this success if it wasn't for all the gigs I played around the North East, and further afield, when I was starting out," remarked Fender. "These locations are iconic, but they are in difficulty."

Since the start of 2023, at least 150 of these venues have permanently closed – roughly one-sixth of the whole industry in the UK.

Over the past year, well-known musicians like Pulp, the group Coldplay, Katy Perry and Sheeran have all supported the Music Venues Trust in its efforts to support the industry, by including a small levy to their ticket costs, which goes to help local stages.

He also joined in, raising in excess of £100,000 on his live tour to assist thirty-eight grassroots venues across England, Scotland, and Wales.

These funds assisted spaces that were facing potential shutdown due to difficulties caused by water damage, fires and family tragedies, as well as permit problems, conflicts and noise complaints.

Additional spaces obtained financial assistance in modernizing amenities and gear that helped musicians and concertgoers.

"The notion that funds from performances in major spaces supports the independent spots, where it begins for artists like me, is just sensible," Sam Fender has commented.

The musician is not the first artist to donate his honor winnings to charitable organizations.

When the band earned the trophy in the mid-90s for their record the album, frontman Cocker stated that the band would give their winnings to the non-profit War Child.

In 2002, artist she split her bounty among several organizations, such as the children's charity and a Sickle Cell charity.

"And I contributed a thousand pounds to the center, to their classes, because I did gymnastics when I was growing up and they lacked better apparatus," she told the media.

Two years ago, Ezra Collective donated their prize money to the community center that developed their band, in addition to other grassroots music organisations.

Additionally the 1994 recipients they donated their winnings to a MS organization after a friend was diagnosed the illness.

"Winning was quite enough," stated vocalist Heather Small. "The money was the bonus but we didn't need the extra, because we had the main prize. So our success impacted the lives of others."

Last week, the Music Venues Trust revealed it had saved two local spots in south-east England, by bringing them into public stewardship.

One venue in the city and The Croft in Bristol were bought under the community ownership program, which is supported by a national body and music fans who purchase "ownership units" in the properties.