Sam Fender has donated the entirety of his £25,000 Mercury Prize prize money to the MVT, which operates to save the UK's independent concert spaces.
The star was given the cheque on mid-October as his third album the album was declared the top album of the previous year.
Fender has chosen to give the cash to the Music Venues Trust, in recognition of the essential function small stages had in his beginning days.
"I personally would not have achieved my current career if it wasn't for all the shows I performed around the area, and further afield, when I was just getting going," remarked Fender. "These spaces are iconic, but they are struggling."
From early 2023 onward, over 150 of these locations have permanently closed – approximately 16 percent of the whole industry in the UK.
Over the past year, major artists such as Pulp, Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Sheeran have all supported the MVT in its initiatives to support the industry, by applying a modest fee to their admission fees, which goes to help independent venues.
He also participated, raising over £100k on his live tour to support 38 local spots across the UK.
These funds supported locations that were confronting possible closure due to challenges caused by water damage, fire incidents and family tragedies, as well as regulatory hurdles, court cases and sound issues.
Some locations received monetary aid in modernizing infrastructure and technical equipment that helped artists and audiences.
"The idea that funds from performances in large arenas supports the local stages, where it all starts for musicians like me, is just sensible," Fender has said.
The musician is not the first artist to give his honor winnings to charitable organizations.
Back when Pulp earned the prize in the year 1996 for their release their work, lead singer Jarvis Cocker declared that the band would give their winnings to the organization War Child.
In 2002, rapper and singer Ms Dynamite divided her bounty between multiple organizations, like the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell charity.
"And I donated a thousand pounds to the center, to their gymnastics program, because I practiced gymnastics when I was younger and they lacked updated gear," she told the media.
Previously, the band gave their funds to the community center that supported their band, as well as other grassroots music organisations.
Additionally 1994 winners M People gave their prize to a MS organization after a friend was diagnosed the disease.
"Winning was ample," remarked singer the singer. "The cash was the cherry on top but we could do without the cherry, because we had the honor. So our victory affected somebody else's life."
Recently, the trust announced it had saved a couple of grassroots venues in south-east England, by bringing them into local control.
One venue in that area and The Croft in the city were purchased under the Own Our Venues program, which is supported by the arts council and music fans who purchase "ownership units" in the buildings.
