Sam Fender has donated the full amount of his twenty-five thousand pound Mercury Prize winnings to the trust for venues, which functions to protect the UK's small concert spaces.
He was presented with the cheque on 16 October as his latest record his work was chosen as the outstanding release of the last 12 months.
He has chosen to hand the money over to the Music Venues Trust, in recognition of the essential function small stages played in his beginning days.
"I couldn't be pursuing this success if it wasn't for all the shows I played around the North East, and elsewhere, when I was beginning," remarked Fender. "These locations are renowned, but they are in difficulty."
Since the start of 2023, more than 150 of these spaces have ceased operations – approximately one-sixth of the entire UK sector.
Recently, major artists including the band Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all supported the Music Venues Trust in its efforts to help venues survive, by adding a small levy to their admission fees, which goes to help independent venues.
He also took part, raising over £100k on his 2024 arena tour to assist numerous local spots across the UK.
The donation assisted locations that were confronting imminent closure due to difficulties caused by flooding, blazes and bereavements, as well as regulatory hurdles, court cases and noise complaints.
Additional spaces received monetary aid in upgrading facilities and gear that helped musicians and audiences.
"The concept that revenue from performances in big venues supports the local stages, where it kicks off for artists like me, is just logical," Fender has said.
Fender is not the first artist to give his award funds to worthy causes.
Back when the band received the trophy in the mid-90s for their release the album, frontman the singer declared that the group would give their winnings to the organization War Child.
During 2002, rapper and singer the artist divided her award between a few charities, such as the children's charity and a charity for Sickle Cell.
"I also donated a thousand pounds to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics class, because I trained in gymnastics when I was younger and they lacked new equipment," Ms Dynamite explained to a publication.
In recent years, the band donated their winnings to the youth organization that supported their band, as well as other independent music bodies.
Additionally the 1994 recipients M People donated their prize to a multiple sclerosis charity after a close contact was diagnosed the illness.
"Winning was ample," remarked vocalist the singer. "The money was the extra but we didn't need the cherry, because we had the honor. So our success impacted another person's life."
In the past week, the trust announced it had saved two local spots in south-east England, by placing them under public stewardship.
The first in Southampton and the other in that location were acquired under the community ownership initiative, which is funded by Arts Council England and enthusiasts who acquire "stakes" in the properties.
