Sam Fender has handed over the full amount of his £25k Mercury Prize prize money to the MVT, which operates to preserve the Britain's independent live music spots.
Fender was awarded the prize on October 16 as his third album his work was chosen as the outstanding release of the past year.
The musician has opted to donate the funds to the trust, in appreciation of the vital role local spots had in his initial steps.
"I wouldn't be doing this success if it wasn't for all the gigs I played around the area, and elsewhere, when I was beginning," remarked Fender. "These spaces are legendary, but they are in difficulty."
From early 2023 onward, more than 150 of these venues have shut down – roughly 16 percent of the total UK scene.
Over the past year, top acts like Pulp, Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all backed the MVT in its attempts to help venues survive, by adding a small levy to their ticket costs, which benefits local stages.
Fender also joined in, raising over £100k on his recent tour to assist 38 grassroots venues across England, Scotland, and Wales.
The money assisted spaces that were facing imminent closure due to difficulties caused by water damage, fire incidents and bereavements, as well as licensing issues, conflicts and sound issues.
Some locations were granted financial assistance in upgrading facilities and sound and lighting systems that helped artists and audiences.
"The notion that funds from concerts in major spaces helps the independent spots, where it begins for performers like me, is just sensible," Sam Fender has stated.
Fender is far from the only musician to give his Mercury Prize funds to charitable organizations.
In they received the award in the mid-90s for their album the album, frontman Cocker declared that the group would give their prize money to the charity War Child.
In 2002, musician Ms Dynamite divided her award among a few organizations, like the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell organization.
"Additionally, I donated a thousand pounds to the center, to their gymnastics program, because I did gymnastics when I was younger and they lacked better apparatus," Ms Dynamite told a publication.
In recent years, they contributed their funds to the youth organization that supported their group, in addition to other local music groups.
Also winners that year they contributed their winnings to a multiple sclerosis charity after a friend was diagnosed the condition.
"The victory was quite enough," stated vocalist the singer. "The prize was the bonus but we didn't need the cherry, because we had the honor. So our victory touched somebody else's life."
Last week, the trust announced it had rescued two grassroots venues in south-east England, by bringing them into local control.
The Joiners in that area and The Croft in that location were acquired under the community ownership program, which is funded by a national body and music fans who purchase "ownership units" in the venues.
