Sam Fender has handed over the complete sum of his £25k Mercury Prize cash to the trust for venues, which functions to preserve the United Kingdom's grassroots live music spots.
He was given the prize on 16 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 trust, in appreciation of the vital role local spots had in his beginning days.
"I personally would not have achieved what I am doing today if it weren't for all the performances I performed around the region, and elsewhere, when I was starting out," said the artist. "These locations are iconic, but they are struggling."
From early 2023 onward, at least 150 of these locations have permanently closed – approximately one-sixth of the whole industry in the UK.
Over the past year, major artists such as the band Pulp, the group Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all aided the MVT in its efforts to keep the scene afloat, by adding a small levy to their ticket prices, which benefits local stages.
Fender also participated, collecting over £100k on his live tour to help thirty-eight grassroots venues across England, Scotland, and Wales.
These funds assisted spaces that were dealing with possible closure due to challenges arising from flooding, fire incidents and personal losses, as well as permit problems, conflicts and neighbor objections.
Some locations were granted financial assistance in improving amenities and technical equipment that helped musicians and audiences.
"The idea that money from shows in large arenas helps the independent spots, where it all starts for musicians like me, is just common sense," Sam Fender has commented.
Fender is not the first artist to donate his Mercury Prize winnings to worthy causes.
In the band received the prize in 1996 for their album the album, vocalist Jarvis Cocker stated that the band would contribute their winnings to the non-profit War Child.
In 2002, artist Ms Dynamite split her prize across several good causes, including the children's charity and a charity for Sickle Cell.
"I also donated a grand to Highgate Newtown, to their classes, because I trained in gymnastics when I was a child and they needed better apparatus," the artist shared with a publication.
Previously, Ezra Collective contributed their prize money to the community center that nurtured their group, alongside other grassroots music organisations.
Additionally winners that year they contributed their award to a multiple sclerosis charity after a close contact was found to have the illness.
"Receiving the award was sufficient," remarked artist the singer. "The cash was the cherry on top but we didn't need the bonus, because we had the main prize. So our success touched the lives of others."
In the past week, the Music Venues Trust shared it had rescued two grassroots venues in south-east England, by transferring them to community ownership.
The Joiners in Southampton and The Croft in the city were purchased under the public acquisition initiative, which is supported by Arts Council England and music fans who acquire "stakes" in the venues.
