The artist gives £25,000 Mercury Prize to small concert halls
The artist has handed over the full amount of his twenty-five thousand pound honor prize money to the Music Venues Trust, which works to preserve the United Kingdom's grassroots music venues.
The star was presented with the cheque on October 16 as his third album the album was declared the best record of the previous year.
Fender has chosen to donate the funds to the trust, in recognition of the essential function small stages played in his initial steps.
"I couldn't be pursuing my current career if it weren't for all the gigs I performed around the North East, and elsewhere, when I was starting out," stated Sam Fender. "These spaces are iconic, but they are facing challenges."
From early 2023 onward, over 150 of these spaces have permanently closed – approximately 16 percent of the entire UK sector.
Over the past year, major artists including Pulp, Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all backed the MVT in its efforts to keep the scene afloat, by applying a modest fee to their ticket prices, which benefits local stages.
He also joined in, generating in excess of £100,000 on his recent tour to support thirty-eight local spots across Britain.
The money supported venues that were dealing with possible closure due to issues caused by water damage, blazes and family tragedies, as well as licensing issues, court cases and noise complaints.
Some locations obtained financial assistance in upgrading amenities and sound and lighting systems that directly benefitted performers and concertgoers.
"The concept that money from concerts in major spaces supports the local stages, where it kicks off for artists like me, is just sensible," the star has commented.
The musician is not the first artist to give his honor prize money to worthy causes.
In Pulp received the award in the mid-90s for their record the album, lead singer Cocker announced that the group would give their winnings to the non-profit War Child.
During 2002, rapper and singer she shared her bounty among several charities, such as the children's charity and a Sickle Cell charity.
"I also contributed a grand to the center, to their gymnastics program, because I practiced gymnastics when I was growing up and they lacked updated gear," Ms Dynamite told a publication.
In recent years, they contributed their funds to the community center that developed their band, in addition to other local music groups.
And 1994 winners they donated their award to a charity for MS after a acquaintance was found to have the illness.
"The victory was sufficient," remarked singer the singer. "The prize was the extra but we didn't need the extra, because we had the main prize. So our winning impacted somebody else's life."
In the past week, the Music Venues Trust announced it had rescued two local spots in the South East, by bringing them into public stewardship.
The Joiners in Southampton and the other in the city were bought under the community ownership program, which is funded by the arts council and music fans who buy "stakes" in the buildings.