The musician donates his £25k prize award winnings to independent music venues

The artist has given the full amount of his £25k honor winnings to the trust for venues, which functions to save the United Kingdom's independent live music spots.

Fender was awarded the prize on 16 October as his new release his work was named the top album of the previous year.

Fender has decided to give the cash to the trust, in appreciation of the essential function grassroots venues had in his initial steps.

"I personally wouldn't be doing what I am doing today if it weren't for all the gigs I performed around the North East, and beyond, when I was beginning," said Sam Fender. "These spaces are legendary, but they are in difficulty."

From early 2023 onward, over 150 of these spaces have shut down – about one-sixth of the entire UK sector.

Over the past year, top acts such as the band Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all supported the trust in its attempts to support the industry, by including a minor surcharge to their admission fees, which supports local stages.

He also participated, collecting more than £100,000 on his 2024 arena tour to assist thirty-eight grassroots venues across Britain.

These funds assisted spaces that were dealing with potential shutdown due to difficulties caused by water damage, fires and family tragedies, as well as licensing issues, legal disputes and neighbor objections.

Other venues were granted financial assistance in improving amenities and technical equipment that directly benefitted artists and concertgoers.

"The concept that funds from concerts in major spaces helps the smaller venues, where it all starts for artists like me, is just logical," the star has said.

He is far from the only musician to donate his Mercury Prize funds to good deeds.

When they earned the trophy in the mid-90s for their album their work, frontman Jarvis Cocker stated that the act would give their winnings to the non-profit War Child.

During 2002, artist she shared her award among several good causes, such as the NSPCC and a charity for Sickle Cell.

"I also donated a £1,000 to Highgate Newtown, to their classes, because I did gymnastics when I was growing up and they required better apparatus," Ms Dynamite shared with outlets.

Previously, Ezra Collective contributed their funds to the youth organization that supported their band, alongside other independent music bodies.

Also winners that year the group donated their winnings to a charity for MS after a acquaintance was found to have the disease.

"The victory was sufficient," remarked singer Small. "The prize was the extra but we didn't need the extra, because we had the cake. So our success touched somebody else's life."

Last week, the Music Venues Trust announced it had protected a couple of grassroots venues in that region, by transferring them to local control.

The first in the city and the second in Bristol were purchased under the community ownership program, which is funded by the arts council and enthusiasts who acquire "stakes" in the venues.