The musician gives his £25k prize award winnings to small music venues

The star has given the complete sum of his £25k Mercury Prize cash to the MVT, which works to save the UK's small music venues.

Fender was awarded the cheque on October 16 as his latest record People Watching was named the best record of the previous year.

The musician has opted to hand the money over to the Music Venues Trust, in appreciation of the vital role small stages had in his beginning days.

"I personally would not have achieved what I am doing today if it weren't for all the gigs I did around the region, and elsewhere, when I was just getting going," stated the artist. "These spaces are legendary, but they are facing challenges."

Since the start of 2023, at least 150 of these spaces have permanently closed – roughly one-sixth of the total UK scene.

In the last year, major artists like Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all supported the Music Venues Trust in its initiatives to help venues survive, by including a small levy to their ticket costs, which goes to help smaller concert halls.

He also took part, collecting in excess of £100,000 on his 2024 arena tour to assist numerous small stages across Britain.

The money helped locations that were facing possible closure due to challenges arising from water damage, fire incidents and bereavements, as well as permit problems, legal disputes and sound issues.

Other venues were granted funding support in upgrading infrastructure and sound and lighting systems that directly benefitted musicians and concertgoers.

"The concept that revenue from shows in major spaces backs the independent spots, where it kicks off for artists like me, is just sensible," Fender has stated.

The musician is not the first artist to contribute his Mercury Prize funds to worthy causes.

Back when Pulp earned the prize in 1996 for their album the album, frontman Jarvis Cocker announced that the band would donate their cash to the non-profit the charity.

In 2002, musician she split her award across a few organizations, like the children's charity and a Sickle Cell organization.

"I also gave a thousand pounds to the center, to their gymnastics program, because I did gymnastics when I was growing up and they required new equipment," Ms Dynamite told the media.

Two years ago, Ezra Collective gave their funds to the community center that nurtured their group, in addition to other grassroots music organisations.

Additionally winners that year M People gave their prize to a MS organization after a close contact was found to have the illness.

"The victory was quite enough," said artist Heather Small. "The prize was the cherry on top but we could do without the extra, because we had the cake. So our winning affected the lives of others."

Recently, the MVT shared it had protected several local spots in that region, by transferring them to community ownership.

The Joiners in Southampton and the second in that location were acquired under the public acquisition scheme, which is backed by Arts Council England and music fans who buy "shares" in the buildings.