Sam Fender gives twenty-five thousand pounds award winnings to small music venues

The artist has given the complete sum of his twenty-five thousand pound Mercury Prize prize money to the trust for venues, which operates to protect the Britain's grassroots music venues.

Fender was awarded the award on 16 October as his new release People Watching was named the best record of the previous year.

He has decided to give the cash to the trust, in appreciation of the essential function grassroots venues had in his beginning days.

"I would not have achieved what I am doing today if it hadn't been for all the performances I performed around the North East, and elsewhere, when I was beginning," said Fender. "These locations are legendary, but they are facing challenges."

Beginning in 2023, more than 150 of these locations have ceased operations – approximately 16 percent of the entire UK sector.

Recently, top acts including Pulp, the group Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Sheeran have all aided the trust in its attempts to keep the scene afloat, by including a modest fee to their ticket costs, which goes to help independent venues.

He also joined in, generating more than £100,000 on his live tour to help numerous local spots across England, Scotland, and Wales.

The money assisted locations that were facing potential shutdown due to challenges stemming from flooding, fires and bereavements, as well as regulatory hurdles, court cases and neighbor objections.

Some locations were granted financial assistance in modernizing amenities and gear that helped musicians and concertgoers.

"The concept that funds from shows in big venues backs the smaller venues, where it all starts for artists like me, is just common sense," the star has commented.

Fender is not the first artist to give his award winnings to good deeds.

In Pulp received the trophy in 1996 for their album the album, vocalist Cocker announced that the band would contribute their winnings to the non-profit War Child.

During 2002, rapper and singer she shared her prize between multiple good causes, including the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell charity.

"I also contributed a thousand pounds to the center, to their gymnastics class, because I trained in gymnastics when I was growing up and they needed updated gear," she shared with outlets.

Previously, Ezra Collective contributed their funds to the community center that supported their band, alongside other local music groups.

Also the 1994 recipients the group donated their award to a multiple sclerosis charity after a acquaintance was diagnosed the illness.

"The victory was sufficient," stated artist Small. "The prize was the cherry on top but we didn't need the extra, because we had the main prize. So our victory impacted somebody else's life."

Last week, the trust revealed it had protected several grassroots venues in south-east England, by bringing them into community ownership.

The Joiners in that area and the other in the city were acquired under the public acquisition program, which is supported by Arts Council England and music fans who acquire "ownership units" in the properties.