The artist has handed over the complete sum of his twenty-five thousand pound Mercury Prize prize money to the Music Venues Trust, which works to protect the United Kingdom's small music venues.
The star was presented with the prize on mid-October as his new release the album was chosen as the outstanding release of the past year.
He has decided to give the cash to the MVT, in acknowledgment of the essential function local spots had in his beginning days.
"I would not have achieved this success if it hadn't been for all the gigs I did around the North East, and elsewhere, when I was beginning," remarked the artist. "These locations are legendary, but they are struggling."
From early 2023 onward, over 150 of these venues have permanently closed – roughly one-sixth of the whole industry in the UK.
In the last year, well-known musicians including Pulp, the group Coldplay, Katy Perry and Sheeran have all aided the Music Venues Trust in its efforts to keep the scene afloat, by adding a small levy to their admission fees, which goes to help independent venues.
Fender also participated, raising over £100k on his 2024 arena tour to help numerous small stages across the UK.
The money helped venues that were confronting potential shutdown due to issues caused by flooding, blazes and personal losses, as well as licensing issues, legal disputes and noise complaints.
Other venues obtained monetary aid in improving infrastructure and sound and lighting systems that positively impacted musicians and concertgoers.
"The notion that money from shows in large arenas supports the smaller venues, where it all starts for performers like me, is just common sense," Sam Fender has stated.
Fender is not the first artist to give his award funds to worthy causes.
Back when Pulp earned the trophy in 1996 for their album Different Class, lead singer the singer announced that the band would contribute their winnings to the charity War Child.
In 2002, rapper and singer Ms Dynamite divided her prize across a few organizations, like the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell organization.
"I also gave a £1,000 to my local community centre, to their gymnastics class, because I practiced gymnastics when I was younger and they required updated gear," the artist told outlets.
Previously, Ezra Collective contributed their funds to the local youth club that nurtured their act, in addition to other grassroots music organisations.
Additionally winners that year the group gave their winnings to a charity for MS after a acquaintance was identified with the illness.
"Winning was sufficient," stated vocalist Small. "The prize was the bonus but we could do without the cherry, because we had the cake. So our victory touched the lives of others."
Last week, the Music Venues Trust shared it had saved several local spots in south-east England, by bringing them into local control.
The first in the city and the second in that location were bought under the community ownership scheme, which is funded by a national body and supporters who purchase "ownership units" in the properties.
