Sam Fender has given the full amount of his £25,000 Mercury Prize cash to the trust for venues, which operates to preserve the Britain's independent music venues.
The star was given the cheque on 16 October as his latest record the album was declared the top album of the last 12 months.
He has decided to give the cash to the MVT, in acknowledgment of the crucial part small stages played in his early career.
"I couldn't be pursuing this success if it hadn't been for all the performances I did around the North East, and further afield, when I was just getting going," remarked the artist. "These locations are iconic, but they are facing challenges."
From early 2023 onward, at least 150 of these venues have shut down – roughly 16 percent of the entire UK sector.
Recently, well-known musicians like Pulp, the group Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Sheeran have all supported the Music Venues Trust in its initiatives to support the industry, by including a small levy to their ticket prices, which goes to help independent venues.
Fender also participated, collecting over £100k on his 2024 arena tour to help 38 local spots across Britain.
These funds supported venues that were confronting potential shutdown due to challenges stemming from flooding, blazes and personal losses, as well as permit problems, legal disputes and neighbor objections.
Additional spaces obtained financial assistance in improving amenities and sound and lighting systems that directly benefitted artists and audiences.
"The concept that revenue from concerts in big venues supports the smaller venues, where it begins for performers like me, is just common sense," Fender has stated.
He is far from the only musician to contribute his award funds to charitable organizations.
When Pulp won the award in the year 1996 for their album their work, frontman the singer announced that the act would donate their prize money to the non-profit the charity.
During 2002, musician Ms Dynamite divided her bounty among multiple charities, such as the children's charity and a Sickle Cell organization.
"I also gave a £1,000 to the center, to their gymnastics program, because I did gymnastics when I was younger and they lacked better apparatus," she shared with the media.
Previously, Ezra Collective donated their winnings to the local youth club that developed their group, in addition to other independent music bodies.
And 1994 winners M People donated their winnings to a charity for MS after a acquaintance was diagnosed the condition.
"The victory was ample," stated vocalist Small. "The prize was the bonus but we didn't need the bonus, because we had the honor. So our winning impacted somebody else's life."
Recently, the MVT shared it had saved two local spots in south-east England, by placing them under local control.
The first in Southampton and The Croft in the city were acquired under the community ownership initiative, which is backed by Arts Council England and supporters who buy "shares" in the venues.
