Sam Fender has given the entirety of his £25k Mercury Prize cash to the Music Venues Trust, which operates to preserve the United Kingdom's grassroots concert spaces.
Fender was awarded the award on mid-October as his new release the album was named the outstanding release of the last 12 months.
The musician has decided to give the cash to the MVT, in appreciation of the crucial part small stages played in his beginning days.
"As an artist would not have achieved my current career if it wasn't for all the performances I played around the region, and further afield, when I was beginning," said Fender. "These locations are iconic, but they are struggling."
From early 2023 onward, at least 150 of these venues have ceased operations – approximately 16 percent of the entire UK sector.
Recently, top acts like the band Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Sheeran have all backed the trust in its efforts to help venues survive, by adding a small levy to their admission fees, which supports independent venues.
He also took part, raising over £100k on his recent tour to assist thirty-eight local spots across the UK.
The money helped venues that were dealing with potential shutdown due to challenges arising from floods, blazes and bereavements, as well as licensing issues, conflicts and sound issues.
Some locations received financial assistance in upgrading amenities and gear that positively impacted performers and fans.
"The notion that revenue from performances in big venues supports the local stages, where it kicks off for performers like me, is just logical," Fender has said.
Fender is among several artists to give his award prize money to charitable organizations.
Back when they earned the trophy in the year 1996 for their album their work, lead singer Cocker stated that the group would contribute their winnings to the non-profit War Child.
During 2002, rapper and singer Ms Dynamite divided her award between a few good causes, including the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell organization.
"And I donated a grand to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics class, because I trained in gymnastics when I was growing up and they needed better apparatus," Ms Dynamite explained to the media.
Previously, Ezra Collective donated their prize money to the community center that developed their band, as well as other grassroots music organisations.
And the 1994 recipients they donated their winnings to a MS organization after a close contact was found to have the disease.
"Receiving the award was sufficient," stated artist Heather Small. "The money was the extra but we didn't require the bonus, because we had the main prize. So our victory affected somebody else's life."
In the past week, the Music Venues Trust announced it had rescued several small stages in south-east England, by placing them under community ownership.
The Joiners in Southampton and The Croft in the city were bought under the Own Our Venues initiative, which is supported by a national body and music fans who purchase "shares" in the venues.
