Sam Fender has given the entirety of his £25,000 Mercury Prize winnings to the trust for venues, which functions to protect the Britain's independent concert spaces.
He was awarded the award on mid-October as his third album his work was named the top album of the previous year.
He has decided to give the cash to the Music Venues Trust, in acknowledgment of the crucial part local spots fulfilled in his early career.
"I personally couldn't be pursuing this success if it weren't for all the shows I played around the area, and beyond, when I was starting out," stated the artist. "These spaces are renowned, but they are in difficulty."
From early 2023 onward, at least 150 of these locations have shut down – approximately 16% of the total UK scene.
Over the past year, top acts including Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all backed the MVT in its efforts to help venues survive, by adding a minor surcharge to their ticket costs, which supports independent venues.
Sam Fender also participated, raising over £100k on his live tour to help 38 local spots across England, Scotland, and Wales.
The money helped spaces that were dealing with imminent closure due to issues arising from floods, blazes and personal losses, as well as regulatory hurdles, conflicts and sound issues.
Some locations obtained financial assistance in upgrading facilities and technical equipment that positively impacted musicians and concertgoers.
"The concept that funds from shows in big venues backs the smaller venues, where it all starts for artists like me, is just sensible," Sam Fender has stated.
Fender is far from the only musician to contribute his award prize money to worthy causes.
Back when the band received the trophy in the year 1996 for their release Different Class, frontman Cocker stated that the band would donate their winnings to the non-profit the charity.
During 2002, artist she shared her award across several charities, including the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell organization.
"And I gave a grand to my local community centre, to their classes, because I trained in gymnastics when I was younger and they needed better apparatus," Ms Dynamite told a publication.
Previously, the band donated their prize money to the youth organization that nurtured their act, in addition to other independent music bodies.
And the 1994 recipients M People contributed their winnings to a multiple sclerosis charity after a friend was identified with the disease.
"The victory was sufficient," said artist Heather Small. "The prize was the extra but we didn't require the extra, because we had the cake. So our success affected the lives of others."
Last week, the Music Venues Trust revealed it had rescued two small stages in south-east England, by transferring them to local control.
The first in Southampton and the other in the city were bought under the Own Our Venues program, which is funded by Arts Council England and supporters who purchase "shares" in the buildings.
