Sam Fender has given the entirety of his £25,000 Mercury Prize winnings to the trust for venues, which works to save the UK's small concert spaces.
The star was given the cheque on 16 October as his third album the album was chosen as the outstanding release of the previous year.
He has decided to donate the funds to the trust, in appreciation of the essential function small stages fulfilled in his initial steps.
"I personally wouldn't be doing my current career if it hadn't been for all the gigs I played around the North East, and beyond, when I was beginning," stated Fender. "These spaces are iconic, but they are facing challenges."
Since the start of 2023, more than 150 of these locations have ceased operations – about 16 percent of the whole industry in the UK.
Over the past year, top acts such as Pulp, the group Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all aided the MVT in its attempts to support the industry, by including a modest fee to their ticket prices, which supports local stages.
He also took part, raising over £100k on his 2024 arena tour to help numerous small stages across the UK.
The money assisted spaces that were dealing with possible closure due to issues caused by water damage, fire incidents and bereavements, as well as regulatory hurdles, conflicts and noise complaints.
Other venues were granted funding support in improving facilities and gear that helped musicians and audiences.
"The idea that money from shows in major spaces backs the local stages, where it kicks off for musicians like me, is just logical," Sam Fender has stated.
He is far from the only musician to contribute his honor winnings to charitable organizations.
Back when the band won the trophy in 1996 for their record their work, vocalist Cocker stated that the group would donate their prize money to the organization the charity.
In 2002, artist she divided her award across multiple good causes, like the children's charity and a Sickle Cell charity.
"And I gave a grand to my local community centre, to their gymnastics class, because I practiced gymnastics when I was younger and they lacked better apparatus," the artist explained to outlets.
Two years ago, Ezra Collective contributed their funds to the local youth club that supported their band, as well as other local music groups.
And 1994 winners M People donated their prize to a charity for MS after a close contact was found to have the illness.
"Receiving the award was quite enough," said vocalist Heather Small. "The money was the bonus but we didn't need the bonus, because we had the honor. So our success touched the lives of others."
Recently, the Music Venues Trust revealed it had protected several grassroots venues in that region, by bringing them into public stewardship.
The Joiners in that area and the second in Bristol were purchased under the public acquisition scheme, which is supported by Arts Council England and enthusiasts who purchase "stakes" in the venues.
