Sam Fender has donated the full amount of his £25,000 Mercury Prize winnings to the MVT, which works to save the UK's small concert spaces.
Fender was awarded the prize on 16 October as his third album his work was chosen as the outstanding release of the last 12 months.
The musician has opted to hand the money over to the MVT, in acknowledgment of the essential function small stages fulfilled in his initial steps.
"I personally wouldn't be doing this success if it hadn't been for all the shows I did around the area, and elsewhere, when I was beginning," remarked Fender. "These locations are renowned, but they are in difficulty."
Beginning in 2023, at least 150 of these locations have permanently closed – approximately one-sixth of the entire UK sector.
In the last year, well-known musicians including Pulp, the group Coldplay, Katy Perry and Sheeran have all supported the trust in its efforts to support the industry, by including a minor surcharge to their admission fees, which supports smaller concert halls.
He also participated, collecting in excess of £100,000 on his 2024 arena tour to support numerous local spots across Britain.
These funds supported venues that were dealing with imminent closure due to challenges caused by water damage, blazes and family tragedies, as well as licensing issues, legal disputes and neighbor objections.
Some locations were granted funding support in upgrading facilities and technical equipment that directly benefitted musicians and audiences.
"The idea that revenue from concerts in large arenas supports the local stages, where it all starts for performers like me, is just common sense," the star has said.
Fender is among several artists to contribute his Mercury Prize prize money to worthy causes.
Back when Pulp won the award in the year 1996 for their record Different Class, vocalist Jarvis Cocker stated that the band would give their winnings to the organization the charity.
During 2002, artist Ms Dynamite split her bounty across several charities, like the children's charity and a Sickle Cell charity.
"Additionally, I contributed a thousand pounds to the center, to their gymnastics program, because I trained in gymnastics when I was younger and they needed new equipment," she shared with outlets.
Previously, the band donated their prize money to the community center that supported their band, as well as other local music groups.
And 1994 winners M People gave their award to a multiple sclerosis charity after a friend was identified with the condition.
"The victory was sufficient," said singer the singer. "The cash was the extra but we didn't need the cherry, because we had the honor. So our winning affected another person's life."
Last week, the MVT announced it had rescued a couple of grassroots venues in south-east England, by placing them under public stewardship.
The first in the city and the second in that location were purchased under the public acquisition program, which is funded by the arts council and music fans who acquire "ownership units" in the buildings.
