Sam Fender has handed over the complete sum of his twenty-five thousand pound Mercury Prize cash to the trust for venues, which operates to preserve the Britain's grassroots music venues.
He was awarded the award on 16 October as his latest record his work was declared the best record of the previous year.
Fender has chosen to donate the funds to the MVT, in appreciation of the crucial part grassroots venues played in his initial steps.
"I would not have achieved what I am doing today if it wasn't for all the shows I did around the North East, and further afield, when I was beginning," stated Sam Fender. "These venues are renowned, but they are in difficulty."
From early 2023 onward, more than 150 of these venues have permanently closed – approximately 16 percent of the entire UK sector.
In the last year, well-known musicians such as Pulp, Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all backed the trust in its initiatives to keep the scene afloat, by including a minor surcharge to their admission fees, which goes to help independent venues.
He also joined in, collecting over £100k on his recent tour to help numerous small stages across the UK.
The money helped locations that were dealing with imminent closure due to issues caused by water damage, blazes and personal losses, as well as permit problems, court cases and neighbor objections.
Additional spaces obtained monetary aid in improving facilities and technical equipment that positively impacted performers and fans.
"The idea that money from shows in large arenas helps the local stages, where it all starts for performers like me, is just logical," Fender has said.
Fender is far from the only musician to contribute his award funds to charitable organizations.
When the band won the prize in the mid-90s for their record their work, frontman Jarvis Cocker declared that the group would give their prize money to the non-profit War Child.
That year, rapper and singer she shared her prize across a few charities, such as the NSPCC and a charity for Sickle Cell.
"And I contributed a thousand pounds to my local community centre, to their gymnastics program, because I did gymnastics when I was a child and they required better apparatus," the artist told outlets.
Previously, Ezra Collective donated their winnings to the local youth club that nurtured their act, alongside other local music groups.
And 1994 winners they donated their winnings to a charity for MS after a close contact was found to have the disease.
"Receiving the award was quite enough," remarked singer Small. "The prize was the bonus but we didn't need the bonus, because we had the honor. So our success impacted the lives of others."
In the past week, the MVT revealed it had protected two grassroots venues in south-east England, by transferring them to community ownership.
The Joiners in Southampton and the second in that location were purchased under the public acquisition initiative, which is backed by Arts Council England and enthusiasts who purchase "stakes" in the properties.
