🔗 Share this article

The star has donated the entirety of his £25k Mercury Prize prize money to the Music Venues Trust, which operates to protect the United Kingdom's small concert spaces.

The star was awarded the prize on October 16 as his third album his work was named the outstanding release of the previous year.

He has opted to hand the money over to the trust, in appreciation of the vital role local spots had in his initial steps.

"As an artist couldn't be pursuing this success if it weren't for all the gigs I did around the region, and further afield, when I was starting out," said Fender. "These venues are legendary, but they are facing challenges."

Since the start of 2023, more than 150 of these venues have shut down – approximately 16% of the entire UK sector.

Over the past year, top acts such as Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Sheeran have all aided the MVT in its initiatives to support the industry, by applying a modest fee to their ticket prices, which goes to help local stages.

He also participated, generating over £100k on his 2024 arena tour to assist 38 small stages across the UK.

The donation assisted spaces that were facing possible closure due to challenges stemming from floods, blazes and personal losses, as well as regulatory hurdles, legal disputes and sound issues.

Some locations obtained financial assistance in modernizing infrastructure and sound and lighting systems that directly benefitted performers and fans.

"The idea that funds from concerts in big venues backs the smaller venues, where it all starts for musicians like me, is just sensible," Sam Fender has commented.

The musician is not the first artist to give his award prize money to charitable organizations.

When Pulp received the prize in the year 1996 for their album their work, frontman Jarvis Cocker announced that the band would contribute their winnings to the non-profit the charity.

In 2002, rapper and singer the artist divided her bounty among a few good causes, like the children's charity and a Sickle Cell organization.

"I also donated a £1,000 to the center, to their gymnastics class, because I did gymnastics when I was growing up and they lacked updated gear," Ms Dynamite told a publication.

In recent years, the band donated their prize money to the youth organization that developed their band, in addition to other grassroots music organisations.

And the 1994 recipients the group gave their award to a multiple sclerosis charity after a close contact was found to have the condition.

"Winning was sufficient," remarked singer Small. "The cash was the cherry on top but we didn't require the cherry, because we had the honor. So our winning impacted another person's life."

In the past week, the Music Venues Trust revealed it had saved two small stages in south-east England, by bringing them into community ownership.

One venue in Southampton and The Croft in Bristol were bought under the Own Our Venues scheme, which is supported by Arts Council England and supporters who buy "stakes" in the buildings.