Sam Fender has donated the entirety of his £25,000 Mercury Prize cash to the MVT, which operates to save the Britain's independent music venues.
The star was given the prize on 16 October as his latest record his work was declared the outstanding release of the past year.
The musician has opted to donate the funds to the MVT, in recognition of the vital role small stages fulfilled in his initial steps.
"I personally would not have achieved what I am doing today if it weren't for all the shows I played around the area, and further afield, when I was beginning," said Fender. "These spaces are iconic, but they are facing challenges."
Beginning in 2023, over 150 of these locations have shut down – approximately one-sixth of the entire UK sector.
In the last year, well-known musicians like the band Pulp, Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all supported the Music Venues Trust in its efforts to support the industry, by adding a minor surcharge to their ticket costs, which goes to help smaller concert halls.
Fender also took part, generating over £100k on his 2024 arena tour to assist 38 local spots across England, Scotland, and Wales.
These funds supported spaces that were dealing with potential shutdown due to challenges arising from floods, blazes and bereavements, as well as licensing issues, court cases and neighbor objections.
Other venues received financial assistance in modernizing infrastructure and gear that helped musicians and fans.
"The concept that revenue from shows in big venues helps the independent spots, where it all starts for musicians like me, is just common sense," Fender has stated.
The musician is among several artists to contribute his Mercury Prize winnings to worthy causes.
When the band won the prize in 1996 for their album the album, vocalist Cocker announced that the act would contribute their winnings to the organization War Child.
In 2002, artist the artist split her bounty across several good causes, such as the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell organization.
"Additionally, I contributed a £1,000 to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics class, because I trained in gymnastics when I was younger and they lacked better apparatus," she told outlets.
In recent years, Ezra Collective donated their funds to the local youth club that developed their act, alongside other independent music bodies.
And 1994 winners they gave their winnings to a charity for MS after a friend was diagnosed the disease.
"Winning was ample," remarked singer Heather Small. "The prize was the cherry on top but we didn't require the extra, because we had the honor. So our winning impacted another person's life."
In the past week, the trust shared it had rescued two local spots in that region, by transferring them to public stewardship.
One venue in the city and the other in Bristol were purchased under the public acquisition program, which is supported by Arts Council England and supporters who acquire "ownership units" in the properties.
