Sam Fender has handed over the entirety of his £25k Mercury Prize cash to the trust for venues, which operates to protect the Britain's independent live music spots.
The star was given the award on October 16 as his latest record People Watching was declared the outstanding release of the last 12 months.
The musician has decided to donate the funds to the trust, in appreciation of the essential function small stages fulfilled in his initial steps.
"I personally couldn't be pursuing this success if it weren't for all the gigs I did around the area, and beyond, when I was beginning," remarked the artist. "These venues are legendary, but they are struggling."
Since the start of 2023, over 150 of these spaces have shut down – approximately one-sixth of the entire UK sector.
In the last year, top acts like Pulp, Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Sheeran have all supported the Music Venues Trust in its attempts to keep the scene afloat, by applying a modest fee to their ticket costs, which goes to help independent venues.
Fender also participated, raising in excess of £100,000 on his live tour to assist thirty-eight local spots across the UK.
The donation assisted locations that were confronting possible closure due to difficulties stemming from flooding, blazes and bereavements, as well as permit problems, court cases and noise complaints.
Some locations received financial assistance in modernizing amenities and gear that directly benefitted musicians and concertgoers.
"The notion that revenue from concerts in major spaces supports the smaller venues, where it all starts for performers like me, is just common sense," the star has said.
He is not the first artist to contribute his award prize money to charitable organizations.
Back when the band received the trophy in the mid-90s for their release their work, lead singer Cocker stated that the act would contribute their cash to the non-profit War Child.
During 2002, artist the artist split her prize between several organizations, including the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell charity.
"I also contributed a thousand pounds to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics class, because I trained in gymnastics when I was a child and they lacked better apparatus," the artist shared with a publication.
In recent years, Ezra Collective donated their funds to the community center that developed their band, in addition to other grassroots music organisations.
Also the 1994 recipients the group contributed their award to a charity for MS after a close contact was diagnosed the illness.
"Winning was quite enough," remarked vocalist the singer. "The money was the extra but we could do without the cherry, because we had the main prize. So our winning impacted another person's life."
In the past week, the Music Venues Trust shared it had saved a couple of small stages 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 Own Our Venues initiative, which is funded by Arts Council England and music fans who purchase "stakes" in the properties.
