Sam Fender has handed over the entirety of his £25k Mercury Prize winnings to the Music Venues Trust, which works to protect the UK's independent concert spaces.
Fender was given the cheque on October 16 as his third album People Watching was declared the best record of the last 12 months.
Fender has chosen to donate the funds to the MVT, in recognition of the essential function grassroots venues fulfilled in his initial steps.
"As an artist would not have achieved this success if it weren't for all the gigs I performed around the North East, and further afield, when I was just getting going," said Sam Fender. "These spaces are legendary, but they are struggling."
Beginning in 2023, at least 150 of these locations have ceased operations – roughly 16% of the total UK scene.
Over the past year, well-known musicians such as Pulp, Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Sheeran have all backed the MVT in its efforts to help venues survive, by adding a minor surcharge to their ticket prices, which goes to help local stages.
Sam Fender also participated, raising more than £100,000 on his recent tour to assist thirty-eight small stages across the UK.
The donation supported spaces that were confronting possible closure due to issues stemming from water damage, blazes and personal losses, as well as permit problems, conflicts and sound issues.
Other venues were granted monetary aid in upgrading amenities and sound and lighting systems that positively impacted artists and audiences.
"The idea that revenue from performances in big venues backs the local stages, where it begins for performers like me, is just sensible," Sam Fender has commented.
Fender is far from the only musician to donate his honor prize money to charitable organizations.
Back when Pulp received the trophy in 1996 for their release Different Class, frontman Cocker announced that the band would contribute their winnings to the organization War Child.
During 2002, musician Ms Dynamite divided her bounty between several organizations, like the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell charity.
"And I contributed a grand to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics program, because I trained in gymnastics when I was younger and they lacked updated gear," she told outlets.
Previously, the band gave their funds to the local youth club that supported their band, alongside other grassroots music organisations.
Additionally the 1994 recipients M People donated their winnings to a charity for MS after a close contact was found to have the illness.
"The victory was sufficient," stated vocalist Small. "The money was the bonus but we didn't require the extra, because we had the main prize. So our victory touched the lives of others."
Recently, the trust revealed it had saved a couple of grassroots venues in that region, by placing them under local control.
The Joiners in Southampton and The Croft in that location were bought under the community ownership program, which is funded by a national body and music fans who acquire "shares" in the buildings.
