Sam Fender has given the entirety of his £25,000 Mercury Prize winnings to the MVT, which functions to save the United Kingdom's small live music spots.
The star was given the cheque on mid-October as his new release the album was declared the top album of the last 12 months.
Fender has chosen to hand the money over to the trust, in acknowledgment of the crucial part grassroots venues had in his beginning days.
"I would not have achieved what I am doing today if it weren't for all the performances I performed around the North East, and further afield, when I was just getting going," remarked Fender. "These locations are iconic, but they are in difficulty."
Beginning in 2023, at least 150 of these spaces have permanently closed – approximately 16% of the entire UK sector.
In the last year, top acts including Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all backed the MVT in its efforts to keep the scene afloat, by applying a minor surcharge to their admission fees, which goes to help local stages.
Sam Fender also took part, collecting over £100k on his 2024 arena tour to assist 38 grassroots venues across the UK.
The money helped locations that were dealing with potential shutdown due to challenges caused by floods, blazes and personal losses, as well as licensing issues, court cases and neighbor objections.
Additional spaces were granted monetary aid in upgrading amenities and technical equipment that directly benefitted musicians and concertgoers.
"The idea that funds from shows in big venues supports the local stages, where it begins for musicians like me, is just common sense," the star has said.
The musician is among several artists to contribute his honor prize money to charitable organizations.
In they received the award in 1996 for their release the album, vocalist Jarvis Cocker stated that the band would give their prize money to the non-profit War Child.
In 2002, rapper and singer the artist shared her bounty among several good causes, such as 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 growing up and they needed updated gear," she explained to a publication.
Previously, they donated their prize money to the youth organization that developed their act, in addition to other independent music bodies.
And winners that year M People donated their award to a charity for MS after a friend was found to have the illness.
"The victory was ample," said vocalist the singer. "The prize was the extra but we didn't need the extra, because we had the main prize. So our winning affected another person's life."
In the past week, the trust announced it had rescued two grassroots venues in that region, by bringing them into local control.
The first in the city and the other in the city were acquired under the community ownership initiative, which is backed by Arts Council England and enthusiasts who acquire "stakes" in the venues.
