🔗 Share this article

The star has handed over the entirety of his £25k award winnings to the Music Venues Trust, which functions to protect the United Kingdom's independent concert spaces.

The star was presented with the prize on 16 October as his latest record the album was named the outstanding release of the past year.

The musician has chosen to give the cash to the trust, in acknowledgment of the vital role small stages played in his initial steps.

"As an artist couldn't be pursuing this success if it hadn't been for all the gigs I performed around the region, and beyond, when I was starting out," said Fender. "These spaces are iconic, but they are struggling."

From early 2023 onward, at least 150 of these spaces have permanently closed – about 16% of the total UK scene.

In the last year, well-known musicians like Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Sheeran have all backed the MVT in its initiatives to help venues survive, by adding a small levy to their ticket prices, which goes to help independent venues.

Sam Fender also took part, generating in excess of £100,000 on his 2024 arena tour to assist thirty-eight small stages across England, Scotland, and Wales.

These funds assisted locations that were dealing with possible closure due to challenges stemming from flooding, fires and family tragedies, as well as regulatory hurdles, conflicts and noise complaints.

Additional spaces were granted monetary aid in upgrading facilities and gear that helped musicians and fans.

"The idea that money from concerts in large arenas supports the smaller venues, where it all starts for musicians like me, is just logical," Sam Fender has said.

He is among several artists to give his Mercury Prize winnings to good deeds.

When Pulp earned the prize in the year 1996 for their record their work, lead singer the singer declared that the act would contribute their winnings to the organization War Child.

During 2002, rapper and singer Ms Dynamite divided her prize between a few good causes, like the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell organization.

"And I contributed a £1,000 to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics program, because I trained in gymnastics when I was growing up and they lacked better apparatus," she explained to the media.

Two years ago, they donated their prize money to the community center that supported their act, as well as other independent music bodies.

Also 1994 winners M People donated their award to a charity for MS after a friend was identified with the disease.

"Winning was quite enough," remarked singer the singer. "The prize was the extra but we didn't require the bonus, because we had the main prize. So our success affected the lives of others."

Recently, the MVT shared it had saved two small stages in that region, by placing them under public stewardship.

The first in the city and The Croft in Bristol were purchased under the community ownership program, which is supported by Arts Council England and enthusiasts who acquire "stakes" in the venues.