Sam Fender has donated the full amount of his £25,000 Mercury Prize cash to the MVT, which functions to preserve the Britain's small live music spots.
He was presented with the cheque on mid-October as his latest record People Watching was named the outstanding release of the past year.
Fender has decided to give the cash to the Music Venues Trust, in appreciation of the essential function grassroots venues fulfilled in his initial steps.
"As an artist wouldn't be doing this success if it weren't for all the performances I performed around the area, and elsewhere, when I was just getting going," stated the artist. "These locations are iconic, but they are in difficulty."
Beginning in 2023, over 150 of these venues have shut down – approximately 16% of the entire UK sector.
In the last year, well-known musicians including the band Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Sheeran have all backed the trust in its efforts to support the industry, by adding a small levy to their admission fees, which benefits independent venues.
Fender also took part, generating over £100k on his recent tour to support thirty-eight small stages across England, Scotland, and Wales.
These funds assisted locations that were confronting imminent closure due to issues arising from floods, blazes and family tragedies, as well as regulatory hurdles, legal disputes and noise complaints.
Other venues were granted monetary aid in upgrading amenities and gear that directly benefitted artists and concertgoers.
"The notion that revenue from shows in big venues backs the independent spots, where it begins for performers like me, is just common sense," the star has commented.
He is far from the only musician to contribute his Mercury Prize winnings to charitable organizations.
Back when the band earned the award in the year 1996 for their record their work, frontman the singer announced that the group would give their cash to the charity War Child.
During 2002, artist the artist divided her bounty across several charities, including the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell charity.
"I also donated a grand to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics program, because I did gymnastics when I was a child and they needed new equipment," she explained to the media.
Previously, Ezra Collective contributed their winnings to the community center that nurtured their band, alongside other independent music bodies.
Additionally the 1994 recipients M People contributed their winnings to a multiple sclerosis charity after a friend was identified with the illness.
"Receiving the award was sufficient," remarked vocalist the singer. "The prize was the extra but we didn't require the extra, because we had the main prize. So our winning impacted the lives of others."
Last week, the trust revealed it had saved two local spots in that region, by transferring them to community ownership.
One venue in Southampton and the other in Bristol were purchased under the Own Our Venues program, which is backed by Arts Council England and music fans who purchase "stakes" in the venues.
