Sam Fender has handed over the entirety of his £25k Mercury Prize prize money to the trust for venues, which operates to protect the United Kingdom's small live music spots.
The star was presented with the award on October 16 as his new release his work was named the outstanding release of the previous year.
He has opted to give the cash to the Music Venues Trust, in appreciation of the essential function local spots had in his beginning days.
"I personally wouldn't be doing my current career if it weren't for all the performances I performed around the North East, and beyond, when I was beginning," stated the artist. "These spaces are iconic, but they are facing challenges."
From early 2023 onward, over 150 of these locations have ceased operations – approximately one-sixth of the entire UK sector.
Over the past year, top acts such as the band Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Sheeran have all supported the Music Venues Trust in its initiatives to keep the scene afloat, by including a minor surcharge to their admission fees, which goes to help local stages.
He also took part, collecting over £100k on his live tour to help 38 grassroots venues across England, Scotland, and Wales.
These funds helped spaces that were confronting potential shutdown due to issues arising from water damage, fire incidents and personal losses, as well as regulatory hurdles, court cases and sound issues.
Additional spaces received monetary aid in modernizing infrastructure and technical equipment that positively impacted musicians and fans.
"The notion that revenue from shows in large arenas helps the independent spots, where it kicks off for musicians like me, is just common sense," Sam Fender has said.
He is far from the only musician to contribute his award prize money to worthy causes.
When the band received the prize in the mid-90s for their album the album, frontman Jarvis Cocker stated that the act would contribute their cash to the non-profit War Child.
In 2002, musician the artist split her award between several good causes, such as the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell organization.
"And I contributed a thousand pounds to the center, to their gymnastics program, because I did gymnastics when I was growing up and they required better apparatus," she explained to the media.
Two years ago, Ezra Collective contributed their prize money to the local youth club that supported their act, as well as other grassroots music organisations.
And 1994 winners they donated their prize to a charity for MS after a acquaintance was identified with the illness.
"Receiving the award was quite enough," remarked artist Small. "The cash was the bonus but we didn't need the extra, because we had the cake. So our success touched somebody else's life."
In the past week, the MVT shared it had rescued a couple of local spots in south-east England, by bringing them into local control.
The Joiners in Southampton and the other in the city were acquired under the public acquisition initiative, which is funded by Arts Council England and enthusiasts who purchase "stakes" in the buildings.
