Sam Fender has donated the complete sum of his £25k Mercury Prize winnings to the trust for venues, which functions to protect the UK's grassroots concert spaces.
The star was presented with the cheque on October 16 as his latest record the album was declared the best record of the previous year.
Fender has chosen to give the cash to the trust, in acknowledgment of the crucial part grassroots venues had in his early career.
"As an artist couldn't be pursuing what I am doing today if it weren't for all the gigs I played around the region, and beyond, when I was starting out," remarked the artist. "These spaces are legendary, but they are facing challenges."
Beginning in 2023, over 150 of these locations have shut down – approximately one-sixth of the total UK scene.
Recently, well-known musicians like Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all backed the Music Venues Trust in its initiatives to help venues survive, by applying a small levy to their admission fees, which goes to help local stages.
He also joined in, generating in excess of £100,000 on his 2024 arena tour to assist 38 small stages across England, Scotland, and Wales.
The donation assisted locations that were confronting imminent closure due to challenges caused by floods, fires and personal losses, as well as regulatory hurdles, conflicts and sound issues.
Other venues obtained funding support in modernizing infrastructure and technical equipment that directly benefitted performers and fans.
"The idea that revenue from performances in large arenas backs the smaller venues, where it begins for musicians like me, is just logical," the star has said.
The musician is far from the only musician to give his Mercury Prize funds to good deeds.
In Pulp earned the award in 1996 for their record the album, frontman the singer stated that the band would contribute their winnings to the non-profit the charity.
In 2002, musician the artist split her award across several good causes, including the NSPCC and a charity for Sickle Cell.
"Additionally, I donated a £1,000 to my local community centre, to their gymnastics class, because I practiced gymnastics when I was younger and they needed better apparatus," the artist explained to outlets.
Two years ago, they donated their prize money to the community center that supported their act, in addition to other independent music bodies.
And the 1994 recipients the group donated their award to a multiple sclerosis charity after a close contact was found to have the condition.
"The victory was quite enough," stated vocalist Small. "The cash was the cherry on top but we could do without the bonus, because we had the honor. So our winning affected another person's life."
Recently, the trust shared it had saved several small stages in south-east England, by placing them under local control.
One venue in Southampton and The Croft in Bristol were acquired under the public acquisition initiative, which is backed by a national body and supporters who acquire "ownership units" in the properties.
