Sam Fender has handed over the entirety of his £25k Mercury Prize winnings to the trust for venues, which functions to protect the UK's small music venues.
Fender was awarded the prize on October 16 as his new release his work was declared the best record of the past year.
He has chosen to hand the money over to the trust, in acknowledgment of the vital role grassroots venues fulfilled in his early career.
"As an artist would not have achieved what I am doing today if it wasn't for all the shows I did around the area, and further afield, when I was beginning," said the artist. "These locations are legendary, but they are struggling."
From early 2023 onward, at least 150 of these venues have shut down – roughly one-sixth of the whole industry in the UK.
Recently, well-known musicians like Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all supported the trust in its initiatives to support the industry, by adding a small levy to their ticket costs, which benefits local stages.
Sam Fender also took part, collecting in excess of £100,000 on his live tour to assist 38 local spots across the UK.
The donation assisted spaces that were dealing with possible closure due to difficulties stemming from flooding, fires and bereavements, as well as permit problems, court cases and noise complaints.
Other venues obtained funding support in improving amenities and technical equipment that positively impacted performers and fans.
"The notion that revenue from concerts in major spaces supports the local stages, where it kicks off for artists like me, is just logical," Sam Fender has said.
He is not the first artist to contribute his award funds to worthy causes.
Back when the band received the trophy in the mid-90s for their record their work, lead singer Jarvis Cocker declared that the band would donate their prize money to the charity the charity.
During 2002, musician the artist shared her bounty across several organizations, such as the NSPCC 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 needed better apparatus," the artist shared with a publication.
Previously, the band gave their funds to the local youth club that nurtured their band, in addition to other independent music bodies.
Additionally winners that year the group donated their winnings to a charity for MS after a acquaintance was identified with the disease.
"Winning was quite enough," remarked vocalist Small. "The prize was the cherry on top but we didn't require the cherry, because we had the main prize. So our success touched another person's life."
In the past week, the Music Venues Trust announced it had protected several small stages in that region, by transferring them to local control.
The Joiners in Southampton and the second in Bristol were purchased under the community ownership program, which is funded by Arts Council England and enthusiasts who purchase "stakes" in the buildings.
