The artist donates his £25k prize cash award to grassroots live spaces

The star has donated the complete sum of his £25k Mercury Prize prize money to the Music Venues Trust, which works to save the Britain's small concert spaces.

He was given the prize on October 16 as his new release People Watching was declared the best record of the past year.

He has chosen to give the cash to the trust, in recognition of the essential function small stages fulfilled in his early career.

"I would not have achieved this success if it wasn't for all the gigs I did around the North East, and beyond, when I was beginning," remarked the artist. "These spaces are renowned, but they are in difficulty."

From early 2023 onward, at least 150 of these venues have shut down – about one-sixth of the whole industry in the UK.

Recently, top acts such as Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Sheeran have all supported the trust in its attempts to help venues survive, by including a small levy to their ticket costs, which supports smaller concert halls.

He also joined in, raising over £100k on his recent tour to assist numerous grassroots venues across the UK.

The donation supported venues that were confronting imminent closure due to difficulties caused by water damage, fires and bereavements, as well as licensing issues, conflicts and sound issues.

Other venues received funding support in modernizing amenities and sound and lighting systems that helped musicians and audiences.

"The notion that funds from shows in major spaces supports the local stages, where it begins for performers like me, is just sensible," Sam Fender has commented.

He is among several artists to give his award winnings to worthy causes.

Back when they won the award in the year 1996 for their release Different Class, lead singer Jarvis Cocker announced that the act would donate their cash to the organization the charity.

During 2002, artist the artist divided her prize across multiple organizations, like the NSPCC and a charity for Sickle Cell.

"And I gave a thousand pounds to the center, to their gymnastics program, because I practiced gymnastics when I was younger and they required better apparatus," she shared with the media.

Two years ago, they gave their winnings to the community center that nurtured their act, alongside other grassroots music organisations.

Additionally the 1994 recipients they contributed their prize to a charity for MS after a close contact was identified with the condition.

"Winning was sufficient," stated singer the singer. "The prize was the extra but we could do without the bonus, because we had the honor. So our success touched the lives of others."

In the past week, the Music Venues Trust announced it had rescued several grassroots venues in the South East, by placing them under public stewardship.

The first in the city and the other in the city were purchased under the community ownership initiative, which is supported by a national body and supporters who purchase "stakes" in the properties.