Sam Fender donates his £25k prize cash award to independent concert halls
The artist has donated the complete sum of his twenty-five thousand pound Mercury Prize winnings to the Music Venues Trust, which functions to save the Britain's grassroots concert spaces.
The star was awarded the cheque on 16 October as his latest record the album was chosen as the top album of the previous year.
The musician has opted to hand the money over to the trust, in recognition of the crucial part local spots played in his initial steps.
"As an artist would not have achieved this success if it weren't for all the shows I performed around the area, and elsewhere, when I was beginning," remarked Fender. "These spaces are iconic, but they are in difficulty."
Since the start of 2023, at least 150 of these locations have shut down – roughly 16 percent of the entire UK sector.
Recently, major artists such as Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all aided the MVT in its attempts to keep the scene afloat, by adding a minor surcharge to their ticket prices, which benefits smaller concert halls.
Fender also participated, raising in excess of £100,000 on his live tour to help numerous small stages across Britain.
The money assisted spaces that were facing possible closure due to challenges caused by water damage, blazes and bereavements, as well as regulatory hurdles, legal disputes and sound issues.
Some locations obtained monetary aid in upgrading facilities and sound and lighting systems that directly benefitted musicians and concertgoers.
"The notion that funds from concerts in big venues supports the independent spots, where it begins for artists like me, is just logical," Sam Fender has stated.
The musician is far from the only musician to donate his award funds to worthy causes.
In Pulp earned the trophy in the year 1996 for their release their work, frontman the singer declared that the band would contribute their winnings to the charity the charity.
During 2002, rapper and singer Ms Dynamite split her bounty among several charities, including the children's charity and a charity for Sickle Cell.
"I also gave a grand to the center, to their gymnastics class, because I did gymnastics when I was growing up and they required better apparatus," she shared with a publication.
Two years ago, they gave their funds to the youth organization that nurtured their act, in addition to other local music groups.
Also 1994 winners they donated their prize to a charity for MS after a acquaintance was found to have the condition.
"Receiving the award was ample," remarked singer Heather Small. "The money was the bonus but we didn't need the extra, because we had the main prize. So our victory impacted another person's life."
In the past week, the MVT revealed it had saved a couple of local spots in south-east England, by bringing them into public stewardship.
The Joiners in Southampton and the other in that location were bought under the community ownership scheme, which is backed by the arts council and supporters who acquire "stakes" in the venues.