Sam Fender has handed over the entirety of his twenty-five thousand pound Mercury Prize winnings to the MVT, which works to save the UK's small music venues.
The star was awarded the cheque on mid-October as his third album the album was chosen as the best record of the previous year.
He has decided to donate the funds to the MVT, in acknowledgment of the vital role grassroots venues fulfilled in his early career.
"As an artist would not have achieved my current career if it hadn't been for all the performances I played around the North East, and further afield, when I was beginning," stated Sam Fender. "These venues are legendary, but they are facing challenges."
From early 2023 onward, more than 150 of these locations have permanently closed – about one-sixth of the whole industry in the UK.
Recently, top acts including Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all backed the trust in its efforts to support the industry, by applying a minor surcharge to their admission fees, which supports independent venues.
Sam Fender also participated, raising over £100k on his recent tour to help numerous small stages across Britain.
These funds helped locations that were confronting possible closure due to issues stemming from floods, blazes and bereavements, as well as licensing issues, court cases and neighbor objections.
Other venues obtained financial assistance in improving facilities and technical equipment that helped artists and concertgoers.
"The notion that revenue from concerts in big venues helps the independent spots, where it begins for performers like me, is just common sense," Fender has stated.
He is far from the only musician to donate his honor winnings to good deeds.
In Pulp received the trophy in the year 1996 for their record their work, lead singer Cocker announced that the band would contribute their cash to the charity War Child.
During 2002, rapper and singer the artist split her award among multiple organizations, including the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell charity.
"And I donated a grand to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics program, because I practiced gymnastics when I was growing up and they lacked better apparatus," Ms Dynamite explained to outlets.
Two years ago, Ezra Collective gave their winnings to the community center that supported their group, as well as other grassroots music organisations.
And winners that year they donated their prize to a multiple sclerosis charity after a friend was identified with the illness.
"Receiving the award was ample," remarked artist Heather Small. "The prize was the bonus but we didn't require the extra, because we had the honor. So our winning touched the lives of others."
In the past week, the trust announced it had protected two local spots in south-east England, by bringing them into community ownership.
One venue in Southampton and The Croft in that location were bought under the community ownership initiative, which is backed by Arts Council England and enthusiasts who buy "stakes" in the buildings.
