Sam Fender has given the complete sum of his £25k Mercury Prize prize money to the trust for venues, which operates to preserve the United Kingdom's grassroots live music spots.
He was presented with the cheque on 16 October as his latest record his work was chosen as the outstanding release of the past year.
Fender has opted to hand the money over to the trust, in recognition of the vital role grassroots venues had in his early career.
"As an artist would not have achieved what I am doing today if it hadn't been for all the gigs I played around the area, and beyond, when I was just getting going," stated Fender. "These venues are iconic, but they are struggling."
From early 2023 onward, at least 150 of these locations have ceased operations – about 16% of the whole industry in the UK.
Recently, top acts such as Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all backed the trust in its initiatives to help venues survive, by including a small levy to their ticket prices, which goes to help independent venues.
He also took part, collecting more than £100,000 on his 2024 arena tour to assist numerous grassroots venues across the UK.
These funds supported venues that were facing potential shutdown due to challenges arising from floods, fire incidents and family tragedies, as well as licensing issues, conflicts and noise complaints.
Some locations obtained monetary aid in modernizing infrastructure and sound and lighting systems that helped musicians and concertgoers.
"The concept that money from concerts in large arenas supports the smaller venues, where it all starts for artists like me, is just sensible," Fender has stated.
Fender is among several artists to donate his honor winnings to charitable organizations.
When Pulp earned the trophy in the mid-90s for their record Different Class, lead singer Cocker announced that the group would contribute their prize money to the non-profit the charity.
In 2002, musician the artist split her bounty across several organizations, such as the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell charity.
"And I contributed a thousand pounds to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics class, because I trained in gymnastics when I was growing up and they required new equipment," she explained to outlets.
In recent years, the band contributed their winnings to the youth organization that nurtured their act, as well as other grassroots music organisations.
Also winners that year the group donated their prize to a multiple sclerosis charity after a close contact was found to have the condition.
"Receiving the award was quite enough," remarked singer the singer. "The cash was the bonus but we didn't need the cherry, because we had the cake. So our success touched another person's life."
In the past week, the trust announced it had saved two small stages in the South East, by placing them under public stewardship.
The Joiners in Southampton and the second in Bristol were purchased under the community ownership program, which is funded by the arts council and music fans who purchase "shares" in the buildings.
