Sam Fender has handed over the full amount of his twenty-five thousand pound Mercury Prize winnings to the trust for venues, which functions to protect the UK's small live music spots.
He was awarded the award on mid-October as his new release People Watching was chosen as the outstanding release of the past year.
The musician has decided to give the cash to the MVT, in appreciation of the vital role grassroots venues played in his beginning days.
"I personally would not have achieved my current career if it wasn't for all the gigs I performed around the North East, and beyond, when I was starting out," remarked the artist. "These venues are iconic, but they are struggling."
From early 2023 onward, over 150 of these venues have ceased operations – approximately 16% of the total UK scene.
Over the past year, top acts such as the band Pulp, the group Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all aided the Music Venues Trust in its efforts to keep the scene afloat, by applying a modest fee to their ticket prices, which benefits independent venues.
Sam Fender also participated, raising in excess of £100,000 on his recent tour to support 38 small stages across the UK.
The donation supported spaces that were confronting imminent closure due to challenges stemming from floods, blazes and bereavements, as well as licensing issues, legal disputes and sound issues.
Other venues were granted funding support in modernizing facilities and sound and lighting systems that helped performers and audiences.
"The concept that money from concerts in large arenas helps the smaller venues, where it begins for performers like me, is just common sense," Fender has commented.
Fender is not the first artist to contribute his award prize money to charitable organizations.
In they won the trophy in 1996 for their record Different Class, frontman Jarvis Cocker stated that the group would contribute their cash to the organization War Child.
That year, artist Ms Dynamite split her bounty between several organizations, like the children's charity and a charity for Sickle Cell.
"I also gave a thousand pounds to Highgate Newtown, to their classes, because I practiced gymnastics when I was younger and they lacked updated gear," Ms Dynamite told outlets.
In recent years, the band gave their prize money to the local youth club that supported their band, in addition to other local music groups.
And winners that year they contributed their winnings to a MS organization after a close contact was diagnosed the disease.
"Winning was ample," said artist Small. "The money was the cherry on top but we didn't need the extra, because we had the main prize. So our success touched another person's life."
In the past week, the trust shared it had rescued two small stages in the South East, by transferring them to public stewardship.
One venue in the city and the second in Bristol were acquired under the Own Our Venues program, which is supported by Arts Council England and music fans who buy "shares" in the properties.
