Sam Fender has donated the full amount of his twenty-five thousand pound Mercury Prize winnings to the trust for venues, which operates to preserve the UK's independent concert spaces.
The star was awarded the cheque on October 16 as his latest record People Watching was chosen as the best record of the last 12 months.
Fender has decided to donate the funds to the trust, in recognition of the vital role local spots played in his early career.
"I personally wouldn't be doing what I am doing today if it hadn't been for all the performances I played around the North East, and elsewhere, when I was starting out," remarked the artist. "These spaces are iconic, but they are facing challenges."
Since the start of 2023, over 150 of these venues have shut down – approximately one-sixth of the whole industry in the UK.
Over the past year, well-known musicians like Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all supported the Music Venues Trust in its attempts to support the industry, by including a small levy to their ticket prices, which goes to help smaller concert halls.
Sam Fender also participated, generating more than £100,000 on his 2024 arena tour to assist 38 grassroots venues across the UK.
These funds supported locations that were facing imminent closure due to challenges arising from flooding, fires and bereavements, as well as permit problems, legal disputes and neighbor objections.
Other venues received financial assistance in improving amenities and gear that positively impacted musicians and concertgoers.
"The notion that revenue from shows in major spaces helps the smaller venues, where it begins for artists like me, is just logical," the star has said.
He is among several artists to contribute his honor funds to charitable organizations.
Back when they earned the trophy in 1996 for their record Different Class, frontman Cocker declared that the band would contribute their winnings to the charity the charity.
During 2002, musician Ms Dynamite divided her bounty between multiple charities, like the children's charity and a Sickle Cell charity.
"And I donated a grand to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics class, because I did gymnastics when I was growing up and they lacked new equipment," the artist explained to a publication.
In recent years, the band gave their prize money to the youth organization that developed their act, alongside other independent music bodies.
Also the 1994 recipients they contributed their winnings to a multiple sclerosis charity after a close contact was identified with the disease.
"Winning was ample," remarked vocalist Small. "The money was the bonus but we didn't require the extra, because we had the honor. So our victory touched the lives of others."
Last week, the Music Venues Trust revealed it had saved a couple of grassroots venues in the South East, by placing them under public stewardship.
The first in the city and the second in that location were acquired under the public acquisition program, which is funded by a national body and music fans who buy "shares" in the venues.
