Sam Fender has handed over the full amount of his twenty-five thousand pound Mercury Prize prize money to the trust for venues, which works to protect the UK's independent concert spaces.
He was given the prize on 16 October as his latest record People Watching was named the outstanding release of the previous year.
He has chosen to donate the funds to the trust, in appreciation of the vital role grassroots venues fulfilled in his initial steps.
"I personally couldn't be pursuing what I am doing today if it hadn't been for all the performances I performed around the North East, and elsewhere, when I was just getting going," said the artist. "These locations are legendary, but they are struggling."
From early 2023 onward, over 150 of these venues have permanently closed – about one-sixth of the entire UK sector.
Over the past year, well-known musicians such as Pulp, the group Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all supported the MVT in its attempts to keep the scene afloat, by including a minor surcharge to their admission fees, which benefits smaller concert halls.
Sam Fender also participated, collecting more than £100,000 on his recent tour to help 38 small stages across Britain.
These funds helped venues that were dealing with potential shutdown due to difficulties stemming from flooding, fire incidents and bereavements, as well as regulatory hurdles, legal disputes and neighbor objections.
Some locations were granted monetary aid in upgrading amenities and technical equipment that helped musicians and concertgoers.
"The concept that money from concerts in big venues supports the local stages, where it begins for performers like me, is just common sense," Fender has stated.
The musician is not the first artist to contribute his award prize money to good deeds.
Back when Pulp won the prize in the mid-90s for their album Different Class, vocalist the singer declared that the act would contribute their winnings to the organization War Child.
That year, artist she split her award across several organizations, including the children's charity and a charity for Sickle Cell.
"And I donated a grand to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics class, because I did gymnastics when I was younger and they required updated gear," the artist told outlets.
Two years ago, they donated their funds to the local youth club that nurtured their group, alongside other independent music bodies.
And the 1994 recipients M People gave their award to a charity for MS after a close contact was found to have the illness.
"The victory was sufficient," remarked singer Heather Small. "The cash was the bonus but we didn't need the bonus, because we had the main prize. So our winning touched somebody else's life."
In the past week, the trust revealed it had rescued a couple of small stages in south-east England, by bringing them into public stewardship.
One venue in that area and the second in that location were purchased under the community ownership initiative, which is supported by Arts Council England and music fans who acquire "stakes" in the venues.
