Sam Fender has donated the entirety of his £25,000 Mercury Prize cash to the MVT, which works to save the United Kingdom's small music venues.
He was awarded the prize on 16 October as his third album the album was chosen as the top album of the last 12 months.
The musician has opted to donate the funds to the Music Venues Trust, in appreciation of the crucial part local spots had in his beginning days.
"As an artist would not have achieved this success if it wasn't for all the shows I performed around the North East, and beyond, when I was beginning," stated Sam Fender. "These spaces are iconic, but they are facing challenges."
From early 2023 onward, over 150 of these locations have shut down – about 16% of the entire UK sector.
Recently, top acts including Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all aided the Music Venues Trust in its initiatives to keep the scene afloat, by adding a small levy to their ticket prices, which benefits local stages.
Fender also participated, collecting more than £100,000 on his live tour to assist thirty-eight local spots across the UK.
The donation helped venues that were confronting potential shutdown due to issues stemming from water damage, fires and bereavements, as well as permit problems, legal disputes and neighbor objections.
Other venues were granted monetary aid in modernizing facilities and gear that helped artists and concertgoers.
"The notion that money from performances in large arenas backs the smaller venues, where it all starts for artists like me, is just logical," Sam Fender has said.
He is not the first artist to donate his Mercury Prize funds to good deeds.
When they received the trophy in the mid-90s for their record their work, lead singer the singer stated that the act would contribute their winnings to the charity War Child.
In 2002, artist the artist split her prize across multiple good causes, including the children's charity and a charity for Sickle Cell.
"Additionally, I gave a £1,000 to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics program, because I practiced gymnastics when I was younger and they lacked new equipment," the artist shared with a publication.
In recent years, Ezra Collective gave their funds to the youth organization that developed their group, alongside other local music groups.
Additionally 1994 winners M People gave their award to a multiple sclerosis charity after a close contact was identified with the disease.
"Receiving the award was sufficient," stated vocalist Heather Small. "The money was the bonus but we didn't need the bonus, because we had the honor. So our victory affected the lives of others."
Last week, the Music Venues Trust announced it had saved two local spots in south-east England, by placing them under public stewardship.
One venue in Southampton and The Croft in the city were purchased under the community ownership scheme, which is funded by a national body and supporters who buy "shares" in the buildings.
