Sam Fender has donated the full amount of his twenty-five thousand pound Mercury Prize winnings to the trust for venues, which operates to protect the United Kingdom's grassroots concert spaces.
He was given the award on 16 October as his latest record People Watching was chosen as the best record of the previous year.
The musician has opted to give the cash to the MVT, in appreciation of the crucial part grassroots venues fulfilled in his beginning days.
"I personally wouldn't be doing what I am doing today if it wasn't for all the gigs I did around the North East, and elsewhere, when I was beginning," stated Fender. "These venues are renowned, but they are in difficulty."
Beginning in 2023, at least 150 of these venues have shut down – about one-sixth of the total UK scene.
Recently, well-known musicians such as Pulp, Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all backed the trust in its initiatives to help venues survive, by adding a small levy to their ticket costs, which benefits independent venues.
Fender also took part, collecting in excess of £100,000 on his live tour to assist numerous local spots across Britain.
These funds supported locations that were dealing with possible closure due to challenges caused by water damage, blazes and personal losses, as well as licensing issues, conflicts and neighbor objections.
Some locations received monetary aid in upgrading facilities and technical equipment that directly benefitted musicians and audiences.
"The notion that funds from concerts in large arenas backs the smaller venues, where it kicks off for musicians like me, is just logical," the star has stated.
Fender is far from the only musician to donate his honor winnings to worthy causes.
Back when Pulp earned the trophy in the year 1996 for their record their work, vocalist the singer stated that the band would donate their prize money to the organization War Child.
In 2002, rapper and singer the artist shared her award among multiple charities, such as the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell organization.
"Additionally, I gave a grand to my local community centre, to their gymnastics class, because I did gymnastics when I was a child and they needed better apparatus," Ms Dynamite explained to the media.
Previously, Ezra Collective gave their winnings to the community center that nurtured their group, as well as other independent music bodies.
And the 1994 recipients M People contributed their prize to a MS organization after a close contact was diagnosed the disease.
"Receiving the award was ample," stated singer Small. "The cash was the bonus but we didn't need the extra, because we had the main prize. So our success impacted the lives of others."
Recently, the MVT announced it had protected two grassroots venues in that region, by bringing them into community ownership.
One venue in that area and the second in Bristol were bought under the Own Our Venues initiative, which is funded by Arts Council England and enthusiasts who purchase "ownership units" in the venues.
