Sam Fender has donated the complete sum of his £25k Mercury Prize cash to the MVT, which operates to save the UK's grassroots concert spaces.
The star was presented with the prize on October 16 as his latest record his work was chosen as the top album of the last 12 months.
Fender has opted to give the cash to the MVT, in acknowledgment of the crucial part grassroots venues fulfilled in his early career.
"As an artist would not have achieved this success if it wasn't for all the shows I performed around the area, and further afield, when I was just getting going," remarked the artist. "These spaces are iconic, but they are in difficulty."
Beginning in 2023, at least 150 of these locations have shut down – approximately 16 percent of the total UK scene.
Recently, top acts including the band Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all backed the Music Venues Trust in its efforts to keep the scene afloat, by applying a minor surcharge to their admission fees, which supports independent venues.
He also joined in, raising over £100k on his recent tour to assist 38 small stages across England, Scotland, and Wales.
The donation assisted venues that were dealing with imminent closure due to issues caused by water damage, blazes and family tragedies, as well as permit problems, court cases and sound issues.
Additional spaces were granted monetary aid in upgrading amenities and sound and lighting systems that directly benefitted musicians and concertgoers.
"The idea that revenue from concerts in major spaces helps the smaller venues, where it all starts for artists like me, is just logical," the star has commented.
The musician is not the first artist to donate his honor winnings to charitable organizations.
In they received the award in the year 1996 for their album Different Class, lead singer Cocker announced that the act would give their winnings to the charity the charity.
During 2002, artist the artist shared her prize between several good causes, including the children's charity and a Sickle Cell organization.
"Additionally, I donated a thousand pounds to the center, to their gymnastics class, because I practiced gymnastics when I was younger and they required new equipment," the artist explained to the media.
Two years ago, Ezra Collective donated their prize money to the community center that nurtured their band, alongside other local music groups.
Also the 1994 recipients M People gave their award to a multiple sclerosis charity after a acquaintance was identified with the disease.
"The victory was quite enough," said vocalist Heather Small. "The money was the bonus but we could do without the bonus, because we had the cake. So our success impacted somebody else's life."
Last week, the MVT revealed it had protected a couple of grassroots venues in that region, by bringing them into local control.
The Joiners in Southampton and the second in that location were bought under the Own Our Venues program, which is supported by a national body and supporters who buy "shares" in the buildings.
