🔗 Share this article

The star has given the full amount of his £25,000 Mercury Prize prize money to the MVT, which operates to preserve the United Kingdom's independent music venues.

The star was awarded the cheque on October 16 as his new release People Watching was chosen as the top album of the previous year.

The musician has chosen to hand the money over to the MVT, in acknowledgment of the vital role grassroots venues fulfilled in his initial steps.

"I wouldn't be doing this success if it hadn't been for all the gigs I played around the area, and elsewhere, when I was just getting going," stated Sam Fender. "These locations are renowned, but they are in difficulty."

Beginning in 2023, over 150 of these locations have shut down – roughly 16% of the whole industry in the UK.

Over the past year, major artists such as Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all supported the MVT in its initiatives to help venues survive, by adding a modest fee to their ticket costs, which supports smaller concert halls.

He also participated, generating in excess of £100,000 on his recent tour to help numerous small stages across the UK.

These funds supported locations that were facing potential shutdown due to issues caused by water damage, blazes and bereavements, as well as permit problems, court cases and sound issues.

Additional spaces were granted monetary aid in upgrading facilities and technical equipment that directly benefitted musicians and concertgoers.

"The concept that revenue from shows in large arenas backs the local stages, where it all starts for musicians like me, is just logical," the star has said.

Fender is not the first artist to contribute his Mercury Prize funds to charitable organizations.

Back when the band won the prize in 1996 for their record Different Class, lead singer Cocker declared that the group would contribute their winnings to the organization War Child.

In 2002, rapper and singer the artist divided her award among multiple charities, including the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell charity.

"Additionally, I gave a grand to the center, to their gymnastics program, because I did gymnastics when I was growing up and they required updated gear," Ms Dynamite told the media.

In recent years, they gave their funds to the community center that supported their group, as well as other independent music bodies.

And 1994 winners the group donated their award to a MS organization after a acquaintance was found to have the disease.

"Winning was quite enough," remarked vocalist the singer. "The money was the cherry on top but we didn't require the cherry, because we had the honor. So our winning touched the lives of others."

Recently, the MVT announced it had protected two small stages in the South East, by transferring them to community ownership.

One venue in that area and the other in that location were bought under the community ownership initiative, which is supported by a national body and music fans who purchase "ownership units" in the properties.