The musician contributes twenty-five thousand pounds Mercury Prize to small live spaces

Sam Fender has handed over the complete sum of his £25k award cash to the Music Venues Trust, which operates to preserve the UK's grassroots music venues.

Fender was given the award on 16 October as his latest record his work was named the top album of the last 12 months.

The musician has opted to hand the money over to the MVT, in recognition of the crucial part local spots played in his early career.

"I personally would not have achieved this success if it hadn't been for all the shows I performed around the region, and further afield, when I was beginning," said the artist. "These spaces are iconic, but they are facing challenges."

From early 2023 onward, at least 150 of these locations have shut down – approximately one-sixth of the entire UK sector.

Over the past year, top acts like Pulp, Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all supported the trust in its initiatives to help venues survive, by adding a small levy to their ticket prices, which benefits smaller concert halls.

Fender also took part, raising more than £100,000 on his recent tour to help numerous small stages across the UK.

The donation assisted venues that were dealing with possible closure due to issues arising from water damage, fire incidents and family tragedies, as well as licensing issues, conflicts and sound issues.

Some locations received financial assistance in improving infrastructure and technical equipment that helped performers and audiences.

"The notion that funds from performances in big venues backs the smaller venues, where it all starts for musicians like me, is just sensible," the star has said.

The musician is not the first artist to give his honor funds to charitable organizations.

In the band earned the trophy in 1996 for their release Different Class, vocalist Cocker stated that the group would give their prize money to the charity War Child.

During 2002, rapper and singer Ms Dynamite shared her award among multiple good causes, such as the children's charity and a Sickle Cell organization.

"Additionally, I contributed a thousand pounds to the center, to their gymnastics class, because I did gymnastics when I was a child and they needed better apparatus," Ms Dynamite told the media.

Previously, the band contributed their winnings to the youth organization that supported their group, in addition to other independent music bodies.

And winners that year M People contributed their award to a charity for MS after a acquaintance was identified with the illness.

"Winning was quite enough," stated singer Heather Small. "The money was the bonus but we didn't need the bonus, because we had the main prize. So our success touched another person's life."

Last week, the MVT shared it had saved several grassroots venues in the South East, by placing them under local control.

One venue in Southampton and the second in Bristol were purchased under the Own Our Venues program, which is supported by the arts council and supporters who acquire "stakes" in the buildings.