Sam Fender has handed over the full amount of his £25,000 Mercury Prize prize money to the trust for venues, which functions to preserve the Britain's small concert spaces.
The star was presented with the prize on October 16 as his new release the album was named the best record of the past year.
The musician has chosen to give the cash to the MVT, in acknowledgment of the vital role local spots fulfilled in his early career.
"As an artist would not have achieved what I am doing today if it hadn't been for all the gigs I did around the region, and beyond, when I was just getting going," stated Sam Fender. "These venues are renowned, but they are facing challenges."
Beginning in 2023, at least 150 of these locations have ceased operations – about 16% of the total UK scene.
Recently, major artists such as Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all supported the MVT in its initiatives to help venues survive, by applying a small levy to their ticket costs, which benefits smaller concert halls.
He also joined in, generating more than £100,000 on his live tour to assist thirty-eight grassroots venues across the UK.
The money supported locations that were confronting potential shutdown due to challenges stemming from floods, blazes and family tragedies, as well as permit problems, court cases and sound issues.
Other venues obtained funding support in upgrading amenities and sound and lighting systems that helped performers and fans.
"The idea that money from concerts in large arenas backs the local stages, where it kicks off for musicians like me, is just common sense," Sam Fender has stated.
He is far from the only musician to contribute his Mercury Prize winnings to good deeds.
When they received the prize in the year 1996 for their release their work, frontman the singer announced that the group would donate their prize money to the charity the charity.
That year, artist she shared her prize between multiple organizations, such as the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell organization.
"I also contributed a grand to my local community centre, to their gymnastics program, because I practiced gymnastics when I was younger and they required new equipment," she explained to outlets.
Two years ago, the band gave their winnings to the youth organization that supported their group, as well as other independent music bodies.
Additionally winners that year M People donated their prize to a charity for MS after a friend was diagnosed the disease.
"Winning was ample," remarked artist the singer. "The prize was the bonus but we didn't need the extra, because we had the main prize. So our victory impacted another person's life."
Last week, the trust announced it had protected several grassroots venues in that region, by placing them under local control.
The Joiners in that area and the second in Bristol were bought under the community ownership initiative, which is supported by a national body and supporters who acquire "shares" in the venues.
