Sam Fender has given the full amount of his £25k Mercury Prize cash to the trust for venues, which works to preserve the Britain's independent concert spaces.
He was awarded the cheque on 16 October as his latest record People Watching was named the top album of the past year.
Fender has opted to hand the money over to the Music Venues Trust, in appreciation of the crucial part local spots had in his early career.
"I couldn't be pursuing what I am doing today if it hadn't been for all the shows I did around the area, and beyond, when I was starting out," stated Fender. "These locations are renowned, but they are facing challenges."
Beginning in 2023, at least 150 of these spaces have permanently closed – about 16% of the whole industry in the UK.
In the last year, well-known musicians like the band Pulp, the group Coldplay, Katy Perry and Sheeran have all supported the trust in its initiatives to support the industry, by applying a minor surcharge to their admission fees, which supports local stages.
Sam Fender also participated, collecting more than £100,000 on his 2024 arena tour to help thirty-eight small stages across the UK.
The donation supported locations that were confronting imminent closure due to difficulties caused by floods, fires and personal losses, as well as licensing issues, legal disputes and sound issues.
Some locations were granted monetary aid in improving facilities and technical equipment that helped musicians and concertgoers.
"The notion that funds from performances in big venues helps the local stages, where it all starts for performers like me, is just logical," Fender has commented.
He is not the first artist to donate his honor prize money to worthy causes.
In the band received the prize in the mid-90s for their album the album, frontman Cocker declared that the act would contribute their prize money to the organization the charity.
During 2002, artist she divided her award across a few organizations, such as the NSPCC and a charity for Sickle Cell.
"I also contributed a £1,000 to my local community centre, to their gymnastics program, because I practiced gymnastics when I was younger and they lacked new equipment," the artist explained to a publication.
Previously, the band contributed their funds to the community center that developed their band, as well as other grassroots music organisations.
And the 1994 recipients the group gave their winnings to a multiple sclerosis charity after a close contact was found to have the condition.
"Winning was quite enough," said artist Small. "The cash was the bonus but we didn't need the bonus, because we had the honor. So our winning impacted another person's life."
Recently, the MVT revealed it had rescued several small stages in south-east England, by bringing them into local control.
The first in that area and The Croft in that location were purchased under the Own Our Venues program, which is supported by Arts Council England and music fans who buy "shares" in the properties.
