Sam Fender has donated the full amount of his £25k Mercury Prize winnings to the MVT, which functions to preserve the Britain's independent live music spots.
He was awarded the prize on mid-October as his latest record his work was chosen as the top album of the past year.
Fender has chosen to hand the money over to the MVT, in appreciation of the essential function grassroots venues had in his initial steps.
"I would not have achieved my current career if it weren't for all the performances I did around the North East, and further afield, when I was beginning," said the artist. "These venues are legendary, but they are struggling."
From early 2023 onward, over 150 of these venues have shut down – approximately one-sixth of the whole industry in the UK.
Recently, well-known musicians like the band Pulp, Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all supported the MVT in its attempts to keep the scene afloat, by applying a modest fee to their ticket costs, which benefits independent venues.
Fender also participated, collecting over £100k on his live tour to help thirty-eight local spots across Britain.
The donation assisted spaces that were dealing with potential shutdown due to challenges caused by floods, fire incidents and personal losses, as well as licensing issues, court cases and neighbor objections.
Additional spaces received financial assistance in upgrading amenities and gear that directly benefitted musicians and fans.
"The idea that funds from concerts in big venues supports the local stages, where it all starts for performers like me, is just logical," Sam Fender has said.
The musician is not the first artist to contribute his Mercury Prize prize money to good deeds.
Back when Pulp won the prize in the mid-90s for their record the album, vocalist Cocker declared that the band would give their winnings to the charity War Child.
That year, musician the artist split her prize between multiple charities, like the NSPCC and a charity for Sickle Cell.
"Additionally, I contributed a thousand pounds to Highgate Newtown, to their classes, because I practiced gymnastics when I was growing up and they needed new equipment," the artist shared with the media.
Two years ago, the band contributed their winnings to the local youth club that supported their group, as well as other independent music bodies.
And winners that year they gave their prize to a charity for MS after a friend was identified with the condition.
"Receiving the award was ample," stated vocalist Heather Small. "The cash was the bonus but we could do without the bonus, because we had the honor. So our victory touched the lives of others."
Recently, the Music Venues Trust shared it had rescued a couple of grassroots venues in the South East, by bringing them into local control.
The Joiners in that area and the other in the city were bought under the community ownership scheme, which is backed by a national body and supporters who buy "stakes" in the properties.
