The artist contributes £25,000 Mercury Prize to independent music venues
The artist has donated the entirety of his twenty-five thousand pound award winnings to the trust for venues, which operates to protect the United Kingdom's small concert spaces.
The star was given the prize on mid-October as his new release his work was chosen as the top album of the previous year.
The musician has decided to donate the funds to the trust, in appreciation of the vital role grassroots venues played in his early career.
"As an artist couldn't be pursuing what I am doing today if it wasn't for all the gigs I performed around the region, and further afield, when I was beginning," remarked Fender. "These locations are iconic, but they are in difficulty."
Beginning in 2023, over 150 of these locations have permanently closed – roughly 16% of the entire UK sector.
Over the past year, well-known musicians such as Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all aided the MVT in its initiatives to support the industry, by adding a minor surcharge to their admission fees, which goes to help smaller concert halls.
He also joined in, collecting in excess of £100,000 on his live tour to assist 38 grassroots venues across England, Scotland, and Wales.
The donation supported locations that were confronting potential shutdown due to issues caused by water damage, fire incidents and bereavements, as well as licensing issues, legal disputes and noise complaints.
Some locations were granted monetary aid in upgrading facilities and gear that positively impacted performers and fans.
"The concept that funds from concerts in big venues helps the smaller venues, where it kicks off for artists like me, is just common sense," the star has said.
Fender is far from the only musician to give his award funds to worthy causes.
When the band received the trophy in the year 1996 for their record Different Class, lead singer Cocker declared that the act would contribute their winnings to the organization War Child.
In 2002, musician the artist split her bounty among several good causes, like the children's charity and a Sickle Cell charity.
"Additionally, 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 explained to outlets.
In recent years, Ezra Collective gave their prize money to the community center that supported their act, in addition to other independent music bodies.
Also winners that year they donated their award to a MS organization after a close contact was found to have the disease.
"Winning was sufficient," said vocalist Small. "The cash was the cherry on top but we didn't require the bonus, because we had the cake. So our success touched the lives of others."
Recently, the MVT revealed it had protected several local spots in the South East, by transferring them to local control.
One venue in the city and The Croft in Bristol were bought under the Own Our Venues program, which is backed by Arts Council England and enthusiasts who acquire "shares" in the properties.