Sam Fender has donated the entirety of his £25k Mercury Prize cash to the trust for venues, which functions to protect the UK's small concert spaces.
The star was given the award on mid-October as his latest record People Watching was chosen as the top album of the past year.
He has decided to donate the funds to the trust, in acknowledgment of the vital role small stages fulfilled in his beginning days.
"I personally wouldn't be doing what I am doing today if it hadn't been for all the gigs I performed around the area, and elsewhere, when I was beginning," stated Fender. "These spaces are iconic, but they are in difficulty."
Beginning in 2023, more than 150 of these locations have permanently closed – approximately 16 percent of the total UK scene.
Recently, major artists such as Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Sheeran have all aided the trust in its attempts to help venues survive, by applying a modest fee to their ticket costs, which goes to help independent venues.
Sam Fender also participated, raising more than £100,000 on his recent tour to support numerous small stages across England, Scotland, and Wales.
These funds helped spaces that were facing imminent closure due to challenges caused by flooding, fires and personal losses, as well as licensing issues, court cases and sound issues.
Some locations obtained financial assistance in upgrading facilities and technical equipment that positively impacted musicians and concertgoers.
"The notion that money from performances in major spaces supports the local stages, where it begins for musicians like me, is just logical," the star has commented.
Fender is not the first artist to give his Mercury Prize funds to worthy causes.
When the band earned the trophy in the year 1996 for their release the album, lead singer the singer announced that the act would contribute their prize money to the organization War Child.
That year, artist the artist divided her bounty among several organizations, like the NSPCC and a charity for Sickle Cell.
"And I contributed a thousand pounds to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics program, because I practiced gymnastics when I was a child and they lacked better apparatus," the artist explained to the media.
Previously, they contributed their funds to the youth organization that nurtured their band, in addition to other grassroots music organisations.
Additionally the 1994 recipients the group gave their award to a charity for MS after a acquaintance was diagnosed the disease.
"Receiving the award was ample," stated vocalist Heather Small. "The prize was the extra but we didn't need the cherry, because we had the honor. So our victory impacted the lives of others."
Last week, the MVT shared it had rescued several grassroots venues in the South East, by placing them under community ownership.
The first in that area and the second in the city were acquired under the public acquisition scheme, which is funded by Arts Council England and music fans who buy "shares" in the buildings.
