Sam Fender has handed over the entirety of his £25k Mercury Prize cash to the MVT, which operates to protect the UK's small concert spaces.
Fender was presented with the award on October 16 as his latest record the album was chosen as the top album of the previous year.
He has chosen to give the cash to the trust, in recognition of the vital role local spots fulfilled in his early career.
"I would not have achieved this success if it weren't for all the gigs I did around the area, and further afield, when I was beginning," stated the artist. "These venues are legendary, but they are facing challenges."
From early 2023 onward, at least 150 of these venues have ceased operations – approximately 16 percent of the entire UK sector.
In the last year, major artists such as Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all supported the trust in its efforts to keep the scene afloat, by including a minor surcharge to their ticket costs, which benefits local stages.
Sam Fender also participated, collecting over £100k on his live tour to assist numerous grassroots venues across Britain.
These funds helped spaces that were dealing with imminent closure due to difficulties stemming from flooding, fire incidents and personal losses, as well as licensing issues, conflicts and neighbor objections.
Additional spaces were granted financial assistance in upgrading facilities and sound and lighting systems that positively impacted musicians and audiences.
"The notion that revenue from concerts in major spaces helps the independent spots, where it begins for musicians like me, is just sensible," Fender has stated.
He is among several artists to give his Mercury Prize funds to good deeds.
When Pulp won the award in the year 1996 for their album Different Class, lead singer Cocker announced that the act would donate their prize money to the organization War Child.
During 2002, artist Ms Dynamite divided her award between a few organizations, including the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell charity.
"And I donated a grand to the center, to their gymnastics class, because I trained in gymnastics when I was growing up and they lacked new equipment," she explained to outlets.
Two years ago, they contributed their winnings to the community center that nurtured their act, alongside other independent music bodies.
And the 1994 recipients the group contributed their prize to a MS organization after a friend was identified with the disease.
"Receiving the award was ample," said singer Small. "The prize was the extra but we didn't need the extra, because we had the main prize. So our winning touched somebody else's life."
In the past week, the trust announced it had rescued a couple of small stages in south-east England, by placing them under community ownership.
One venue in Southampton and the other in that location were acquired under the public acquisition scheme, which is backed by the arts council and music fans who acquire "stakes" in the venues.
