Sam Fender has handed over the full amount of his £25,000 Mercury Prize cash to the trust for venues, which works to preserve the UK's grassroots live music spots.
The star was awarded the prize on 16 October as his third album his work was declared the best record of the previous year.
The musician has decided to donate the funds to the MVT, in appreciation of the vital role local spots played in his early career.
"I would not have achieved my current career if it wasn't for all the shows I performed around the area, and elsewhere, when I was beginning," remarked Sam Fender. "These venues are legendary, but they are in difficulty."
Since the start of 2023, over 150 of these locations have shut down – approximately 16 percent of the whole industry in the UK.
Recently, major artists including Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Sheeran have all supported the Music Venues Trust in its attempts to help venues survive, by applying a modest fee to their ticket prices, which supports local stages.
He also took part, generating in excess of £100,000 on his 2024 arena tour to assist thirty-eight small stages across England, Scotland, and Wales.
The donation helped venues that were dealing with potential shutdown due to difficulties arising from flooding, blazes and personal losses, as well as permit problems, conflicts and noise complaints.
Other venues obtained funding support in upgrading facilities and technical equipment that directly benefitted performers and fans.
"The concept that money from concerts in big venues supports the independent spots, where it all starts for performers like me, is just sensible," Fender has stated.
The musician is far from the only musician to contribute his Mercury Prize prize money to good deeds.
Back when Pulp won the prize in 1996 for their record their work, frontman the singer declared that the band would contribute their prize money to the non-profit War Child.
That year, rapper and singer she shared her bounty between a few organizations, such as the children's charity and a Sickle Cell organization.
"Additionally, I gave a grand to the center, to their gymnastics program, because I trained in gymnastics when I was growing up and they lacked better apparatus," the artist told outlets.
Two years ago, the band donated their prize money to the community center that nurtured their band, in addition to other local music groups.
Additionally the 1994 recipients M People gave their prize to a multiple sclerosis charity after a acquaintance was identified with the disease.
"The victory was quite enough," stated vocalist Small. "The cash was the extra but we didn't need the extra, because we had the cake. So our victory touched somebody else's life."
Recently, the MVT shared it had saved a couple of small stages in that region, by placing them under community ownership.
The Joiners in Southampton and The Croft in that location were purchased under the Own Our Venues program, which is funded by the arts council and supporters who buy "stakes" in the venues.
