Sam Fender has donated the entirety of his £25,000 Mercury Prize winnings to the trust for venues, which works to protect the UK's small live music spots.
The star was awarded the prize on 16 October as his third album his work was declared the top album of the past year.
Fender has decided to hand the money over to the MVT, in appreciation of the crucial part small stages played in his initial steps.
"As an artist wouldn't be doing my current career if it hadn't been for all the performances I performed around the region, and elsewhere, when I was just getting going," stated the artist. "These spaces are iconic, but they are facing challenges."
From early 2023 onward, over 150 of these locations have permanently closed – approximately 16% of the total UK scene.
Over the past year, major artists such as Pulp, the group Coldplay, Katy Perry and Sheeran have all backed the Music Venues Trust in its attempts to support the industry, by including a small levy to their ticket costs, which benefits smaller concert halls.
Sam Fender also joined in, generating in excess of £100,000 on his recent tour to help numerous grassroots venues across England, Scotland, and Wales.
These funds assisted spaces that were dealing with potential shutdown due to issues stemming from floods, blazes and personal losses, as well as regulatory hurdles, legal disputes and neighbor objections.
Additional spaces were granted funding support in upgrading amenities and technical equipment that helped musicians and fans.
"The concept that money from concerts in large arenas supports the smaller venues, where it begins for artists like me, is just logical," Fender has said.
He is not the first artist to donate his Mercury Prize prize money to worthy causes.
Back when they won the prize in the mid-90s for their album the album, vocalist the singer stated that the band would contribute their prize money to the non-profit the charity.
During 2002, rapper and singer the artist divided her award among a few organizations, like the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell organization.
"And I gave a thousand pounds to the center, to their gymnastics program, because I did gymnastics when I was growing up and they required new equipment," she shared with a publication.
Two years ago, they gave their prize money to the local youth club that nurtured their act, as well as other local music groups.
Also the 1994 recipients they contributed their award to a charity for MS after a close contact was found to have the condition.
"The victory was sufficient," stated singer the singer. "The prize was the cherry on top but we didn't require the extra, because we had the honor. So our victory impacted somebody else's life."
Last week, the trust announced it had rescued two small stages in that region, by transferring them to local control.
The Joiners in the city and The Croft in that location were purchased under the public acquisition program, which is backed by the arts council and supporters who buy "ownership units" in the properties.
