Sam Fender has given the full amount of his £25,000 Mercury Prize cash to the MVT, which functions to save the United Kingdom's independent music venues.
Fender was given the cheque on October 16 as his third album People Watching was declared the outstanding release of the past year.
Fender has opted to give the cash to the trust, in appreciation of the essential function local spots fulfilled in his early career.
"As an artist couldn't be pursuing this success if it weren't for all the shows I did around the North East, and further afield, when I was just getting going," said Fender. "These locations are renowned, but they are facing challenges."
Beginning in 2023, over 150 of these locations have ceased operations – approximately one-sixth of the total UK scene.
Over the past year, top acts including Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all supported the Music Venues Trust in its initiatives to support the industry, by applying a small levy to their ticket costs, which supports local stages.
Fender also took part, raising over £100k on his recent tour to help 38 small stages across the UK.
These funds assisted locations that were facing possible closure due to challenges caused by floods, fires and personal losses, as well as licensing issues, court cases and neighbor objections.
Other venues obtained monetary aid in improving facilities and technical equipment that positively impacted artists and concertgoers.
"The idea that revenue from performances in major spaces helps the local stages, where it begins for performers like me, is just sensible," the star has commented.
Fender is far from the only musician to donate his award funds to good deeds.
Back when Pulp won the prize in 1996 for their album their work, vocalist the singer declared that the group would give their prize money to the charity the charity.
During 2002, musician the artist divided her bounty across multiple organizations, including the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell charity.
"And I gave a thousand pounds to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics program, because I did gymnastics when I was a child and they lacked new equipment," the artist shared with the media.
Two years ago, Ezra Collective contributed their winnings to the community center that nurtured their group, alongside other grassroots music organisations.
Additionally winners that year the group gave their award to a MS organization after a friend was found to have the illness.
"The victory was sufficient," stated singer Heather Small. "The money was the cherry on top but we didn't need the extra, because we had the cake. So our success affected somebody else's life."
Recently, the trust shared it had protected several local spots in that region, by bringing them into community ownership.
The first in that area and The Croft in Bristol were purchased under the community ownership scheme, which is funded by the arts council and enthusiasts who buy "ownership units" in the buildings.
