Sam Fender has given the full amount of his £25k Mercury Prize cash to the MVT, which works to preserve the United Kingdom's independent music venues.
He was presented with the cheque on 16 October as his latest record his work was chosen as the top album of the past year.
The musician has chosen to donate the funds to the trust, in appreciation of the essential function small stages played in his initial steps.
"As an artist couldn't be pursuing my current career if it hadn't been for all the shows I played around the region, and further afield, when I was beginning," said Sam Fender. "These venues are iconic, but they are struggling."
Beginning in 2023, at least 150 of these venues have shut down – approximately 16% of the whole industry in the UK.
Recently, major artists such as Pulp, the group Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all supported the trust in its initiatives to support the industry, by adding a small levy to their ticket costs, which supports smaller concert halls.
Fender also took part, raising more than £100,000 on his recent tour to help numerous grassroots venues across Britain.
These funds assisted venues that were confronting imminent closure due to difficulties arising from floods, fire incidents and family tragedies, as well as regulatory hurdles, conflicts and neighbor objections.
Other venues received funding support in improving amenities and gear that directly benefitted artists and fans.
"The notion that money from performances in major spaces helps the local stages, where it begins for musicians like me, is just sensible," Sam Fender has stated.
He is among several artists to give his award funds to worthy causes.
When the band won the award in the mid-90s for their release their work, lead singer Jarvis Cocker stated that the band would give their cash to the charity the charity.
That year, artist Ms Dynamite shared her award across several charities, including the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell organization.
"Additionally, I contributed a thousand pounds to the center, to their gymnastics program, because I did gymnastics when I was younger and they required updated gear," Ms Dynamite shared with the media.
Two years ago, the band contributed their funds to the community center that developed their group, alongside other local music groups.
And winners that year they contributed their prize to a multiple sclerosis charity after a close contact was diagnosed the condition.
"Winning was quite enough," stated artist the singer. "The money was the extra but we could do without the cherry, because we had the honor. So our victory affected somebody else's life."
Last week, the trust announced it had protected several local spots in south-east England, by bringing them into public stewardship.
The Joiners in that area and The Croft in that location were acquired under the Own Our Venues initiative, which is supported by the arts council and supporters who acquire "ownership units" in the buildings.
