Sam Fender has donated the entirety of his £25k Mercury Prize cash to the MVT, which functions to preserve the Britain's small music venues.
Fender was awarded the award on October 16 as his new release his work was chosen as the top album of the last 12 months.
He has chosen to give the cash to the trust, in acknowledgment of the vital role small stages fulfilled in his early career.
"I personally would not have achieved my current career if it wasn't for all the performances I played around the North East, and beyond, when I was beginning," stated Sam Fender. "These spaces are legendary, but they are struggling."
Since the start of 2023, more than 150 of these venues have shut down – about 16 percent of the entire UK sector.
Recently, well-known musicians including the band Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all supported the MVT in its initiatives to help venues survive, by applying a small levy to their ticket prices, which benefits independent venues.
He also took part, collecting more than £100,000 on his 2024 arena tour to assist thirty-eight grassroots venues across Britain.
The donation assisted venues that were confronting imminent closure due to issues stemming from floods, fires and personal losses, as well as permit problems, legal disputes and noise complaints.
Some locations received funding support in modernizing amenities and gear that directly benefitted musicians and fans.
"The concept that money from shows in big venues backs the independent spots, where it begins for artists like me, is just common sense," the star has said.
The musician is not the first artist to donate his Mercury Prize funds to worthy causes.
When they received the trophy in the mid-90s for their release Different Class, vocalist the singer declared that the act would give their winnings to the non-profit the charity.
In 2002, artist the artist shared her bounty between multiple good causes, such as the children's charity and a Sickle Cell charity.
"Additionally, I donated a grand to my local community centre, to their gymnastics program, because I trained in gymnastics when I was growing up and they lacked new equipment," she explained to outlets.
In recent years, they donated their winnings to the youth organization that developed their act, as well as other grassroots music organisations.
Also winners that year the group contributed their prize to a charity for MS after a close contact was found to have the illness.
"The victory was sufficient," remarked vocalist the singer. "The money was the bonus but we could do without the cherry, because we had the main prize. So our winning affected somebody else's life."
Recently, the trust announced it had saved several grassroots venues in that region, by placing them under public stewardship.
The first in Southampton and The Croft in the city were bought under the public acquisition program, which is backed by Arts Council England and enthusiasts who acquire "shares" in the properties.
