The musician contributes twenty-five thousand pounds award winnings to small music venues

Sam Fender has handed over the entirety of his twenty-five thousand pound Mercury Prize prize money to the Music Venues Trust, which operates to save the UK's independent concert spaces.

Fender was given the award on mid-October as his new release his work was chosen as the outstanding release of the previous year.

He has opted to give the cash to the MVT, in recognition of the crucial part local spots fulfilled in his beginning days.

"As an artist wouldn't be doing what I am doing today if it hadn't been for all the performances I performed around the area, and elsewhere, when I was starting out," stated Sam Fender. "These spaces are legendary, but they are in difficulty."

From early 2023 onward, at least 150 of these venues have permanently closed – approximately 16% of the entire UK sector.

In the last year, top acts like Pulp, the group Coldplay, Katy Perry and Sheeran have all aided the trust in its attempts to keep the scene afloat, by including a modest fee to their admission fees, which supports independent venues.

He also joined in, collecting in excess of £100,000 on his recent tour to support numerous grassroots venues across England, Scotland, and Wales.

The money supported spaces that were dealing with imminent closure due to challenges caused by water damage, fire incidents and family tragedies, as well as permit problems, conflicts and sound issues.

Some locations were granted financial assistance in upgrading facilities and gear that helped artists and concertgoers.

"The idea that funds from concerts in big venues supports the independent spots, where it all starts for performers like me, is just sensible," Sam Fender has said.

Fender is far from the only musician to give his honor winnings to good deeds.

Back when they won the trophy in 1996 for their record Different Class, lead singer Jarvis Cocker announced that the band would give their winnings to the organization War Child.

That year, musician she shared her bounty across a few organizations, like the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell organization.

"Additionally, I gave a thousand pounds to my local community centre, to their gymnastics class, because I practiced gymnastics when I was a child and they required updated gear," Ms Dynamite shared with the media.

Two years ago, the band contributed their winnings to the local youth club that developed their band, as well as other grassroots music organisations.

And the 1994 recipients M People gave their prize to a charity for MS after a acquaintance was diagnosed the condition.

"Receiving the award was ample," stated singer Small. "The money was the extra but we didn't need the extra, because we had the cake. So our success affected somebody else's life."

In the past week, the MVT revealed it had saved several grassroots venues in the South East, by transferring them to community ownership.

The Joiners in the city and the second in that location were acquired under the Own Our Venues initiative, which is supported by the arts council and enthusiasts who buy "ownership units" in the venues.