Sam Fender gives his £25k prize Mercury Prize to small live spaces
The star has given the full amount of his £25,000 award prize money to the trust for venues, which works to protect the Britain's grassroots music venues.
He was given the prize on 16 October 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 appreciation of the essential function local spots had in his early career.
"I personally couldn't be pursuing my current career if it wasn't for all the gigs I performed around the area, and elsewhere, when I was just getting going," remarked the artist. "These spaces are legendary, but they are facing challenges."
Beginning in 2023, at least 150 of these locations have ceased operations – roughly one-sixth of the entire UK sector.
Recently, well-known musicians like the band Pulp, Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Sheeran have all supported the trust in its attempts to keep the scene afloat, by applying a modest fee to their admission fees, which supports independent venues.
He also took part, raising over £100k on his recent tour to help thirty-eight local spots across England, Scotland, and Wales.
The money assisted venues that were confronting potential shutdown due to challenges caused by flooding, blazes and family tragedies, as well as permit problems, conflicts and sound issues.
Some locations received monetary aid in improving infrastructure and technical equipment that directly benefitted musicians and fans.
"The concept that revenue from performances in major spaces backs the independent spots, where it kicks off for artists like me, is just sensible," Fender has commented.
Fender is not the first artist to contribute his honor winnings to charitable organizations.
In the band received the trophy in 1996 for their release their work, lead singer Jarvis Cocker announced that the group would donate their prize money to the non-profit War Child.
That year, musician Ms Dynamite divided her award across multiple charities, including the children's charity and a Sickle Cell charity.
"Additionally, I contributed a £1,000 to the center, to their classes, because I trained in gymnastics when I was younger and they lacked updated gear," the artist explained to the media.
In recent years, the band contributed their prize money to the local youth club that developed their act, in addition to other grassroots music organisations.
And 1994 winners they donated their winnings to a MS organization after a close contact was diagnosed the disease.
"Receiving the award was ample," remarked artist Heather Small. "The cash was the bonus but we didn't require the extra, because we had the honor. So our success affected the lives of others."
Recently, the trust revealed it had rescued a couple of local spots in that region, by transferring them to local control.
The first in Southampton and the other in the city were acquired under the public acquisition program, which is funded by Arts Council England and enthusiasts who acquire "stakes" in the buildings.