Sam Fender has donated the full amount of his twenty-five thousand pound Mercury Prize prize money to the MVT, which operates to save the Britain's independent live music spots.
Fender was presented with the cheque on 16 October as his third album his work was chosen as the outstanding release of the past year.
He has opted to hand the money over to the trust, in acknowledgment of the essential function grassroots venues fulfilled in his beginning days.
"I would not have achieved what I am doing today if it hadn't been for all the shows I did around the area, and further afield, when I was just getting going," remarked Sam Fender. "These locations are renowned, but they are struggling."
Since the start of 2023, at least 150 of these locations have ceased operations – about one-sixth of the whole industry in the UK.
Recently, major artists including Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Sheeran have all aided the trust in its efforts to keep the scene afloat, by including a modest fee to their ticket prices, which benefits smaller concert halls.
He also participated, collecting more than £100,000 on his recent tour to help numerous small stages across England, Scotland, and Wales.
The money assisted locations that were facing potential shutdown due to issues stemming from floods, fire incidents and bereavements, as well as regulatory hurdles, legal disputes and noise complaints.
Some locations were granted funding support in modernizing facilities and sound and lighting systems that helped performers and audiences.
"The idea that revenue from shows in big venues helps the local stages, where it all starts for performers like me, is just sensible," the star has said.
He is among several artists to donate his Mercury Prize winnings to worthy causes.
When they earned the award in the mid-90s for their release their work, frontman Jarvis Cocker stated that the group would give their winnings to the charity War Child.
In 2002, rapper and singer she shared her prize between several charities, including the NSPCC and a charity for Sickle Cell.
"Additionally, I gave a grand to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics program, because I trained in gymnastics when I was younger and they needed better apparatus," the artist shared with outlets.
In recent years, Ezra Collective contributed their funds to the community center that nurtured their band, as well as other grassroots music organisations.
And winners that year M People donated their award to a multiple sclerosis charity after a friend was found to have the condition.
"Winning was ample," said vocalist Heather Small. "The prize was the extra but we didn't require the extra, because we had the cake. So our winning touched somebody else's life."
Last week, the Music Venues Trust revealed it had saved several grassroots venues in south-east England, by transferring them to local control.
One venue in Southampton and the second in that location were acquired under the Own Our Venues scheme, which is supported by the arts council and enthusiasts who buy "ownership units" in the buildings.
