Sam Fender has donated the complete sum of his £25,000 Mercury Prize prize money to the trust for venues, which works to protect the Britain's small music venues.
The star was presented with the prize on mid-October as his third album his work was declared the outstanding release of the previous year.
The musician has opted to donate the funds to the Music Venues Trust, in acknowledgment of the essential function small stages played in his beginning days.
"As an artist would not have achieved my current career if it weren't for all the shows I did around the North East, and further afield, when I was just getting going," remarked Fender. "These venues are iconic, but they are facing challenges."
Beginning in 2023, more than 150 of these venues have shut down – approximately 16 percent of the entire UK sector.
Over the past year, top acts including Pulp, Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Sheeran have all aided the MVT in its efforts to support the industry, by applying a small levy to their admission fees, which benefits local stages.
Fender also took part, raising in excess of £100,000 on his live tour to support thirty-eight local spots across England, Scotland, and Wales.
The money supported locations that were facing possible closure due to difficulties arising from floods, fire incidents and personal losses, as well as licensing issues, court cases and neighbor objections.
Additional spaces received funding support in upgrading amenities and technical equipment that positively impacted artists and concertgoers.
"The idea that revenue from performances in large arenas helps the smaller venues, where it all starts for performers like me, is just logical," Fender has stated.
He is not the first artist to donate his award prize money to good deeds.
Back when the band earned the trophy in the mid-90s for their release Different Class, lead singer the singer stated that the band would give their winnings to the charity the charity.
In 2002, rapper and singer she shared her bounty among several good causes, including the children's charity and a Sickle Cell organization.
"And I contributed a thousand pounds to my local community centre, to their classes, because I trained in gymnastics when I was younger and they required updated gear," Ms Dynamite shared with the media.
In recent years, Ezra Collective donated their winnings to the youth organization that developed their band, in addition to other grassroots music organisations.
Additionally 1994 winners they donated their prize to a MS organization after a friend was diagnosed the illness.
"Winning was ample," said vocalist Heather Small. "The prize was the cherry on top but we didn't require the bonus, because we had the main prize. So our success impacted another person's life."
Last week, the MVT shared it had protected two grassroots venues in south-east England, by transferring them to local control.
The Joiners in Southampton and The Croft in that location were acquired under the community ownership program, which is funded by a national body and supporters who acquire "shares" in the properties.
