Sam Fender has handed over the full amount of his £25k Mercury Prize cash to the trust for venues, which operates to save the United Kingdom's grassroots concert spaces.
The star was presented with the prize on 16 October as his latest record the album was declared the top album of the past year.
He has decided to donate the funds to the trust, in appreciation of the essential function grassroots venues fulfilled in his initial steps.
"As an artist would not have achieved what I am doing today if it weren't for all the shows I did around the area, and beyond, when I was just getting going," remarked Fender. "These locations are iconic, but they are facing challenges."
From early 2023 onward, over 150 of these locations have ceased operations – roughly 16 percent of the entire UK sector.
Recently, major artists like Pulp, Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Sheeran have all aided the Music Venues Trust in its attempts to support the industry, by adding a modest fee to their admission fees, which supports local stages.
He also joined in, generating more than £100,000 on his live tour to assist 38 small stages across the UK.
The donation supported spaces that were facing imminent closure due to issues arising from floods, fires and family tragedies, as well as licensing issues, conflicts and noise complaints.
Other venues obtained monetary aid in modernizing amenities and sound and lighting systems that directly benefitted artists and audiences.
"The notion that money from shows in major spaces helps the independent spots, where it begins for performers like me, is just sensible," Sam Fender has commented.
He is far from the only musician to donate his honor funds to worthy causes.
In they won the award in 1996 for their album their work, lead singer Cocker stated that the act would donate their cash to the organization War Child.
That year, artist the artist shared her prize across a few charities, including the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell charity.
"Additionally, I donated a thousand pounds to my local community centre, to their gymnastics class, because I did gymnastics when I was younger and they required new equipment," she explained to outlets.
In recent years, Ezra Collective contributed their funds to the youth organization that developed their act, in addition to other independent music bodies.
Also winners that year they gave their prize to a MS organization after a acquaintance was identified with the condition.
"Receiving the award was quite enough," said singer the singer. "The prize was the bonus but we didn't need the cherry, because we had the main prize. So our victory affected the lives of others."
In the past week, the trust shared it had saved two grassroots venues in that region, by placing them under community ownership.
One venue in Southampton and the second in that location were acquired under the public acquisition initiative, which is backed by Arts Council England and enthusiasts who acquire "ownership units" in the properties.
