Sam Fender has given the entirety of his £25,000 Mercury Prize cash to the MVT, which works to protect the Britain's small music venues.
Fender was presented with the cheque on October 16 as his new release People Watching was named the top album of the past year.
The musician has decided to hand the money over to the MVT, in acknowledgment of the essential function grassroots venues had in his beginning days.
"As an artist would not have achieved what I am doing today if it wasn't for all the gigs I did around the area, and elsewhere, when I was starting out," remarked the artist. "These spaces are iconic, but they are struggling."
From early 2023 onward, more than 150 of these venues have shut down – roughly 16% of the whole industry in the UK.
Recently, major artists such as the band Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all supported the Music Venues Trust in its efforts to support the industry, by including a minor surcharge to their admission fees, which goes to help smaller concert halls.
Fender also took part, generating more than £100,000 on his 2024 arena tour to assist 38 local spots across England, Scotland, and Wales.
The money helped venues that were facing possible closure due to issues caused by water damage, blazes and bereavements, as well as permit problems, legal disputes and sound issues.
Some locations were granted financial assistance in modernizing facilities and gear that helped musicians and fans.
"The concept that revenue from performances in big venues supports the smaller venues, where it begins for artists like me, is just sensible," Sam Fender has stated.
Fender is among several artists to contribute his award funds to worthy causes.
In they won the prize in 1996 for their release their work, vocalist Cocker declared that the group would donate their prize money to the charity the charity.
That year, artist Ms Dynamite split her prize across a few charities, including the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell charity.
"And I contributed a thousand pounds to the center, to their classes, because I trained in gymnastics when I was growing up and they lacked new equipment," the artist shared with outlets.
Two years ago, the band gave their prize money to the local youth club that developed their act, alongside other independent music bodies.
And winners that year M People contributed their prize to a multiple sclerosis charity after a acquaintance was found to have the illness.
"The victory was quite enough," stated vocalist Heather Small. "The prize was the cherry on top but we didn't require the extra, because we had the honor. So our winning touched another person's life."
Last week, the trust announced it had protected two local spots in that region, by transferring them to local control.
One venue in that area and the other in the city were acquired under the public acquisition initiative, which is backed by the arts council and enthusiasts who acquire "ownership units" in the buildings.
