Sam Fender has given the full amount of his £25k Mercury Prize prize money to the MVT, which works to preserve the UK's grassroots live music spots.
The star was awarded the award on 16 October as his new release People Watching was named the best record of the past year.
The musician has opted to hand the money over to the trust, in acknowledgment of the vital role local spots played in his beginning days.
"As an artist wouldn't be doing what I am doing today if it weren't for all the gigs I did around the region, and elsewhere, when I was starting out," remarked the artist. "These locations are iconic, but they are in difficulty."
From early 2023 onward, over 150 of these venues have ceased operations – approximately one-sixth of the whole industry in the UK.
Over the past year, well-known musicians like the band Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all backed the Music Venues Trust in its initiatives to support the industry, by including a small levy to their ticket costs, which goes to help independent venues.
Fender also took part, raising in excess of £100,000 on his 2024 arena tour to support thirty-eight grassroots venues across Britain.
These funds assisted venues that were facing possible closure due to difficulties stemming from water damage, fires and bereavements, as well as regulatory hurdles, court cases and neighbor objections.
Other venues were granted financial assistance in upgrading facilities and gear that positively impacted performers and audiences.
"The concept that funds from performances in big venues helps the smaller venues, where it all starts for musicians like me, is just common sense," Fender has commented.
He is among several artists to give his award prize money to good deeds.
In Pulp won the trophy in the year 1996 for their release their work, frontman the singer stated that the act would give their cash to the charity War Child.
In 2002, artist she shared her bounty among several good causes, like the children's charity and a Sickle Cell organization.
"I also contributed a £1,000 to my local community centre, to their classes, because I practiced gymnastics when I was younger and they required new equipment," the artist shared with outlets.
Previously, the band contributed their prize money to the local youth club that developed their act, in addition to other independent music bodies.
Additionally 1994 winners they contributed their award to a charity for MS after a close contact was identified with the illness.
"The victory was ample," said singer Heather Small. "The cash was the extra but we didn't require the extra, because we had the honor. So our victory affected another person's life."
Recently, the MVT revealed it had rescued several grassroots venues in that region, by bringing them into local control.
The Joiners in Southampton and The Croft in that location were bought under the community ownership scheme, which is supported by the arts council and music fans who purchase "shares" in the venues.
