Sam Fender has handed over the full amount of his £25k Mercury Prize prize money to the trust for venues, which operates to save the Britain's grassroots concert spaces.
Fender was awarded the cheque on October 16 as his latest record the album was declared the top album of the previous year.
Fender has decided to hand the money over to the trust, in acknowledgment of the crucial part local spots had in his beginning days.
"As an artist wouldn't be doing what I am doing today if it hadn't been for all the shows I did around the region, and further afield, when I was starting out," stated Fender. "These locations are legendary, but they are facing challenges."
From early 2023 onward, over 150 of these spaces have permanently closed – approximately 16 percent of the entire UK sector.
In the last year, well-known musicians such as Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Sheeran have all aided the trust in its efforts to keep the scene afloat, by adding a modest fee to their admission fees, which supports smaller concert halls.
Fender also joined in, collecting more than £100,000 on his live tour to assist 38 small stages across Britain.
The money supported locations that were confronting potential shutdown due to difficulties caused by floods, blazes and family tragedies, as well as permit problems, court cases and neighbor objections.
Some locations obtained financial assistance in upgrading facilities and technical equipment that positively impacted musicians and audiences.
"The notion that funds from shows in major spaces backs the smaller venues, where it kicks off for performers like me, is just logical," the star has said.
Fender is far from the only musician to contribute his honor funds to worthy causes.
Back when they earned the prize in the year 1996 for their album their work, lead singer Cocker stated that the act would contribute their cash to the charity War Child.
In 2002, rapper and singer Ms Dynamite split her award across a few good causes, like the NSPCC and a charity for Sickle Cell.
"I also gave a grand to the center, to their classes, because I practiced gymnastics when I was younger and they required better apparatus," Ms Dynamite explained to outlets.
In recent years, they donated their winnings to the youth organization that developed their act, as well as other local music groups.
Additionally 1994 winners they donated their winnings to a charity for MS after a acquaintance was diagnosed the disease.
"The victory was sufficient," said artist Heather Small. "The cash was the cherry on top but we could do without the bonus, because we had the main prize. So our victory impacted somebody else's life."
In the past week, the MVT announced it had rescued two local spots in the South East, by placing them under local control.
The first in the city and the other in that location were acquired under the public acquisition program, which is supported by Arts Council England and music fans who purchase "shares" in the venues.
