Sam Fender has handed over the entirety of his twenty-five thousand pound Mercury Prize prize money to the MVT, which operates to protect the UK's independent live music spots.
Fender was presented with the award on 16 October as his new release the album was named the best record of the past year.
Fender has opted to hand the money over to the Music Venues Trust, in acknowledgment of the vital role small stages fulfilled in his beginning days.
"I personally would not have achieved this success if it weren't for all the gigs I played around the region, and elsewhere, when I was just getting going," remarked the artist. "These spaces are legendary, but they are facing challenges."
Since the start of 2023, at least 150 of these locations have permanently closed – about one-sixth of the whole industry in the UK.
In the last year, top acts like Pulp, Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all supported the MVT in its attempts to support the industry, by applying a minor surcharge to their admission fees, which goes to help smaller concert halls.
He also participated, generating in excess of £100,000 on his 2024 arena tour to assist numerous local spots across England, Scotland, and Wales.
The money assisted venues that were facing imminent closure due to difficulties stemming from floods, fires and bereavements, as well as regulatory hurdles, legal disputes and neighbor objections.
Some locations were granted funding support in upgrading facilities and sound and lighting systems that directly benefitted artists and fans.
"The idea that revenue from concerts in large arenas helps the local stages, where it kicks off for artists like me, is just sensible," Fender has said.
He is among several artists to donate his award prize money to good deeds.
When they won the prize in the year 1996 for their release their work, lead singer Jarvis Cocker declared that the act would give their winnings to the charity the charity.
In 2002, musician Ms Dynamite shared her award among several good causes, such as the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell organization.
"I also donated a grand to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics class, because I practiced gymnastics when I was a child and they lacked better apparatus," she shared with a publication.
Two years ago, the band donated their funds to the youth organization that developed their group, alongside other independent music bodies.
And the 1994 recipients they contributed their award to a MS organization after a close contact was found to have the illness.
"Winning was ample," said singer Small. "The cash was the bonus but we didn't need the cherry, because we had the cake. So our success touched another person's life."
In the past week, the MVT shared it had protected several small stages in the South East, by bringing them into local control.
The first in that area and the second in that location were bought under the Own Our Venues scheme, which is supported by the arts council and enthusiasts who purchase "stakes" in the buildings.
