Sam Fender has donated the full amount of his £25,000 Mercury Prize cash to the MVT, which functions to save the UK's independent concert spaces.
Fender was awarded the cheque on 16 October as his third album People Watching was chosen as the outstanding release of the previous year.
The musician has opted to give the cash to the trust, in recognition of the essential function grassroots venues played in his beginning days.
"I personally couldn't be pursuing what I am doing today if it wasn't for all the gigs I played around the area, and beyond, when I was starting out," remarked the artist. "These locations are renowned, but they are struggling."
Since the start of 2023, more than 150 of these spaces have ceased operations – approximately one-sixth of the entire UK sector.
Over the past year, major artists such as Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all supported the MVT in its initiatives to support the industry, by applying a modest fee to their ticket costs, which goes to help local stages.
Sam Fender also participated, collecting in excess of £100,000 on his recent tour to assist thirty-eight small stages across England, Scotland, and Wales.
The money helped spaces that were confronting imminent closure due to issues arising from flooding, fire incidents and family tragedies, as well as regulatory hurdles, conflicts and sound issues.
Some locations obtained funding support in improving amenities and technical equipment that positively impacted performers and fans.
"The idea that money from performances in large arenas helps the local stages, where it all starts for musicians like me, is just common sense," Fender has stated.
Fender is far from the only musician to give his honor prize money to worthy causes.
In they won the trophy in the mid-90s for their record Different Class, lead singer Jarvis Cocker announced that the group would give their cash to the non-profit the charity.
That year, rapper and singer the artist divided her award between multiple good causes, such as the NSPCC and a charity for Sickle Cell.
"Additionally, I donated a £1,000 to my local community centre, to their gymnastics class, because I did gymnastics when I was younger and they lacked better apparatus," she told the media.
Previously, Ezra Collective gave their funds to the youth organization that developed their group, alongside other grassroots music organisations.
Additionally the 1994 recipients they gave their winnings to a charity for MS after a acquaintance was identified with the disease.
"The victory was quite enough," stated artist Heather Small. "The prize was the extra but we didn't need the cherry, because we had the cake. So our winning touched the lives of others."
In the past week, the Music Venues Trust shared it had rescued a couple of grassroots venues in that region, by transferring them to local control.
The Joiners in Southampton and the other in the city were bought under the community ownership scheme, which is funded by a national body and music fans who buy "stakes" in the buildings.
