Sam Fender has given the full amount of his twenty-five thousand pound Mercury Prize prize money to the trust for venues, which functions to save the UK's grassroots concert spaces.
The star was given the cheque on mid-October as his latest record his work was chosen as the top album of the previous year.
He has decided to give the cash to the trust, in appreciation of the crucial part grassroots venues played in his early career.
"I personally wouldn't be doing what I am doing today if it weren't for all the performances I played around the area, and beyond, when I was beginning," said Sam Fender. "These spaces are iconic, but they are struggling."
Beginning in 2023, over 150 of these venues have ceased operations – roughly 16 percent of the total UK scene.
Recently, major artists such as Pulp, Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Sheeran have all backed the MVT in its attempts to help venues survive, by including a small levy to their ticket prices, which supports smaller concert halls.
He also joined in, raising in excess of £100,000 on his 2024 arena tour to assist thirty-eight local spots across Britain.
The donation supported venues that were dealing with imminent closure due to difficulties caused by flooding, fire incidents and family tragedies, as well as permit problems, court cases and sound issues.
Some locations obtained funding support in modernizing amenities and technical equipment that positively impacted musicians and concertgoers.
"The idea that funds from concerts in major spaces helps the smaller venues, where it all starts for musicians like me, is just sensible," Sam Fender has stated.
He is not the first artist to donate his honor funds to charitable organizations.
When they won the trophy in the mid-90s for their record the album, frontman the singer announced that the group would contribute their prize money to the non-profit the charity.
In 2002, musician Ms Dynamite divided her award across a few charities, like the NSPCC and a charity for Sickle Cell.
"Additionally, I contributed a £1,000 to my local community centre, to their classes, because I trained in gymnastics when I was a child and they needed new equipment," Ms Dynamite shared with outlets.
Previously, Ezra Collective gave their prize money to the youth organization that developed their act, as well as other grassroots music organisations.
And 1994 winners the group donated their winnings to a charity for MS after a friend was diagnosed the illness.
"Receiving the award was sufficient," stated vocalist the singer. "The cash was the extra but we didn't need the cherry, because we had the main prize. So our success impacted another person's life."
In the past week, the Music Venues Trust announced it had rescued two local spots in south-east England, by bringing them into public stewardship.
One venue in Southampton and the second in the city were purchased under the community ownership initiative, which is funded by the arts council and supporters who buy "shares" in the venues.
