The musician contributes his £25k prize Mercury Prize to grassroots concert halls

Sam Fender has donated the full amount of his £25,000 Mercury Prize winnings to the trust for venues, which functions to protect the Britain's grassroots concert spaces.

He was given the prize on 16 October as his new release People Watching was declared the outstanding release of the last 12 months.

He has opted to donate the funds to the MVT, in acknowledgment of the crucial part grassroots venues fulfilled in his initial steps.

"I couldn't be pursuing my current career if it wasn't for all the shows I performed around the area, and elsewhere, when I was just getting going," stated Fender. "These spaces are legendary, but they are struggling."

Beginning in 2023, at least 150 of these venues have ceased operations – approximately 16 percent of the total UK scene.

Over the past year, top acts including the band Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Sheeran have all backed the trust in its initiatives to keep the scene afloat, by adding a minor surcharge to their ticket costs, which supports smaller concert halls.

Sam Fender also participated, raising more than £100,000 on his 2024 arena tour to help numerous small stages across England, Scotland, and Wales.

These funds assisted locations that were confronting potential shutdown due to difficulties arising from water damage, fires and personal losses, as well as regulatory hurdles, legal disputes and sound issues.

Some locations obtained financial assistance in improving infrastructure and technical equipment that positively impacted musicians and concertgoers.

"The idea that money from concerts in large arenas backs the local stages, where it all starts for artists like me, is just logical," the star has stated.

He is far from the only musician to contribute his Mercury Prize winnings to charitable organizations.

When the band received the award in the mid-90s for their release their work, vocalist Cocker declared that the group would donate their winnings to the charity War Child.

During 2002, artist she shared her award across a few organizations, including the children's charity and a charity for Sickle Cell.

"And I contributed a grand to Highgate Newtown, to their classes, because I practiced gymnastics when I was growing up and they lacked new equipment," the artist told a publication.

Previously, they contributed their winnings to the local youth club that supported their group, alongside other independent music bodies.

And the 1994 recipients the group donated their winnings to a multiple sclerosis charity after a acquaintance was identified with the disease.

"The victory was ample," remarked vocalist Heather Small. "The prize was the cherry on top but we could do without the cherry, because we had the honor. So our success impacted the lives of others."

In the past week, the trust revealed it had saved a couple of local spots in that region, by bringing them into community ownership.

The Joiners in that area and The Croft in that location were purchased under the community ownership scheme, which is supported by Arts Council England and supporters who purchase "shares" in the venues.