Sam Fender has given the entirety of his £25k Mercury Prize winnings to the trust for venues, which operates to preserve the UK's grassroots live music spots.
Fender was given the prize on October 16 as his latest record his work was named the top album of the last 12 months.
The musician has opted to hand the money over to the Music Venues Trust, in acknowledgment of the essential function small stages played in his early career.
"I personally would not have achieved this success if it wasn't for all the gigs I performed around the North East, and elsewhere, when I was starting out," said Fender. "These locations are renowned, but they are struggling."
Since the start of 2023, over 150 of these venues have ceased operations – about one-sixth of the entire UK sector.
Recently, well-known musicians including Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all aided the MVT in its efforts to keep the scene afloat, by applying a small levy to their ticket costs, which goes to help independent venues.
He also joined in, generating over £100k on his 2024 arena tour to assist thirty-eight local spots across England, Scotland, and Wales.
The money helped venues that were facing imminent closure due to difficulties stemming from floods, fire incidents and personal losses, as well as licensing issues, court cases and noise complaints.
Other venues received monetary aid in upgrading facilities and technical equipment that positively impacted performers and concertgoers.
"The notion that money from concerts in major spaces backs the independent spots, where it begins for artists like me, is just logical," Fender has stated.
He is not the first artist to give his Mercury Prize winnings to good deeds.
In Pulp won the award in the mid-90s for their album Different Class, vocalist the singer announced that the group would contribute their prize money to the charity War Child.
In 2002, musician she divided her prize across a few organizations, like the children's charity and a charity for Sickle Cell.
"I also gave a grand to the center, to their gymnastics program, because I did gymnastics when I was a child and they lacked better apparatus," the artist told outlets.
Two years ago, they gave their winnings to the youth organization that nurtured their band, alongside other local music groups.
Also 1994 winners the group gave their winnings to a charity for MS after a friend was identified with the illness.
"The victory was quite enough," stated vocalist Heather Small. "The cash was the bonus but we could do without the cherry, because we had the main prize. So our success impacted the lives of others."
Last week, the Music Venues Trust revealed it had rescued a couple of grassroots venues in the South East, by transferring them to community ownership.
One venue in that area and the other in Bristol were bought under the public acquisition initiative, which is supported by the arts council and music fans who purchase "stakes" in the properties.
