Sam Fender has given the entirety of his twenty-five thousand pound Mercury Prize winnings to the MVT, which functions to save the UK's small music venues.
Fender was presented with the award on mid-October as his new release People Watching was chosen as the best record of the previous year.
He has opted to donate the funds to the trust, in acknowledgment of the essential function grassroots venues had in his early career.
"I couldn't be pursuing my current career if it wasn't for all the performances I played around the North East, and beyond, when I was starting out," stated Fender. "These venues are renowned, but they are facing challenges."
Since the start of 2023, more than 150 of these spaces have shut down – about one-sixth of the entire UK sector.
Recently, major artists including Pulp, Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all backed the MVT in its attempts to keep the scene afloat, by applying a small levy to their admission fees, which supports local stages.
Sam Fender also took part, raising in excess of £100,000 on his 2024 arena tour to assist 38 local spots across the UK.
These funds supported locations that were dealing with possible closure due to issues caused by floods, fires and personal losses, as well as regulatory hurdles, court cases and noise complaints.
Some locations obtained financial assistance in upgrading facilities and gear that directly benefitted musicians and fans.
"The concept that revenue from shows in large arenas supports the smaller venues, where it kicks off for artists like me, is just common sense," Sam Fender has stated.
Fender is among several artists to donate his award funds to charitable organizations.
When they received the prize in the mid-90s for their record their work, frontman Jarvis Cocker announced that the band would contribute their cash to the non-profit War Child.
During 2002, rapper and singer she divided her award across several charities, including the children's charity and a charity for Sickle Cell.
"And I gave a thousand pounds to Highgate Newtown, to their classes, because I did gymnastics when I was a child and they lacked updated gear," Ms Dynamite shared with a publication.
Previously, the band donated their prize money to the local youth club that supported their band, alongside other grassroots music organisations.
And the 1994 recipients M People gave their winnings to a MS organization after a acquaintance was diagnosed the condition.
"The victory was sufficient," said singer Heather Small. "The money was the bonus but we could do without the bonus, because we had the honor. So our winning affected another person's life."
In the past week, the MVT shared it had saved a couple of small stages in that region, by placing them under public stewardship.
The Joiners in the city and the second in that location were purchased under the public acquisition program, which is funded by Arts Council England and enthusiasts who buy "stakes" in the buildings.
