Sam Fender has given the entirety of his £25,000 honor cash to the Music Venues Trust, which operates to preserve the United Kingdom's small concert spaces.
He was given the cheque on October 16 as his latest record People Watching was declared the top album of the past year.
The musician has decided to give the cash to the trust, in acknowledgment of the essential function small stages had in his early career.
"I personally would not have achieved what I am doing today if it wasn't for all the performances I did around the region, and elsewhere, when I was just getting going," said Sam Fender. "These locations are iconic, but they are struggling."
Since the start of 2023, more than 150 of these venues have permanently closed – roughly one-sixth of the total UK scene.
Recently, well-known musicians like Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all supported the MVT in its initiatives to keep the scene afloat, by including a minor surcharge to their ticket costs, which goes to help smaller concert halls.
Sam Fender also took part, collecting in excess of £100,000 on his 2024 arena tour to assist numerous small stages across England, Scotland, and Wales.
These funds assisted locations that were dealing with potential shutdown due to difficulties arising from water damage, blazes and bereavements, as well as regulatory hurdles, court cases and sound issues.
Some locations obtained monetary aid in modernizing amenities and sound and lighting systems that directly benefitted performers and concertgoers.
"The notion that money from shows in large arenas helps the independent spots, where it kicks off for musicians like me, is just sensible," Fender has said.
Fender is far from the only musician to contribute his Mercury Prize prize money to good deeds.
In the band received the award in the mid-90s for their album their work, frontman the singer stated that the band would give their winnings to the non-profit War Child.
That year, rapper and singer Ms Dynamite divided her bounty between several good causes, such as the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell organization.
"Additionally, I contributed a £1,000 to my local community centre, to their gymnastics class, because I did gymnastics when I was a child and they required better apparatus," the artist shared with a publication.
Previously, they gave their prize money to the local youth club that developed their act, in addition to other local music groups.
Additionally the 1994 recipients they donated their winnings to a charity for MS after a acquaintance was identified with the condition.
"Receiving the award was ample," said singer Small. "The money was the bonus but we didn't need the extra, because we had the cake. So our victory impacted the lives of others."
In the past week, the trust revealed it had saved several local spots in that region, by transferring them to local control.
One venue in that area and the second in the city were acquired under the public acquisition scheme, which is funded by Arts Council England and enthusiasts who acquire "stakes" in the venues.
