Sam Fender has handed over the complete sum of his £25,000 Mercury Prize prize money to the trust for venues, which functions to preserve the UK's independent music venues.
The star was given the prize on 16 October as his third album the album was chosen as the top album of the previous year.
Fender has chosen to give the cash to the Music Venues Trust, in acknowledgment of the essential function small stages fulfilled in his early career.
"I personally couldn't be pursuing my current career if it hadn't been for all the shows I played around the region, and further afield, when I was just getting going," remarked Sam Fender. "These venues are legendary, but they are struggling."
From early 2023 onward, over 150 of these locations have ceased operations – approximately one-sixth of the entire UK sector.
Recently, top acts such as the band Pulp, the group Coldplay, Katy Perry and Sheeran have all backed the MVT in its initiatives to help venues survive, by including a minor surcharge to their admission fees, which goes to help smaller concert halls.
He also participated, collecting in excess of £100,000 on his live tour to help numerous local spots across England, Scotland, and Wales.
The money supported locations that were facing potential shutdown due to difficulties caused by water damage, fires and personal losses, as well as regulatory hurdles, legal disputes and noise complaints.
Additional spaces obtained funding support in modernizing amenities and sound and lighting systems that helped artists and audiences.
"The notion that revenue from concerts in big venues helps the independent spots, where it begins for musicians like me, is just sensible," the star has commented.
He is far from the only musician to contribute his award winnings to good deeds.
When Pulp won the trophy in 1996 for their release Different Class, vocalist the singer stated that the band would give their cash to the charity War Child.
In 2002, artist the artist divided her prize between several organizations, like the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell charity.
"I also donated a grand to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics class, because I practiced gymnastics when I was younger and they lacked new equipment," the artist told a publication.
Two years ago, Ezra Collective gave their prize money to the local youth club that nurtured their act, in addition to other grassroots music organisations.
Additionally the 1994 recipients M People gave their winnings to a charity for MS after a close contact was diagnosed the condition.
"Winning was quite enough," stated vocalist Heather Small. "The prize was the bonus but we didn't require the bonus, because we had the main prize. So our victory impacted somebody else's life."
Last week, the trust announced it had protected several grassroots venues in the South East, by bringing them into community ownership.
One venue in that area and the second in the city were acquired under the public acquisition scheme, which is supported by the arts council and music fans who purchase "ownership units" in the venues.