Sam Fender has handed over the complete sum of his £25,000 Mercury Prize cash to the trust for venues, which operates to preserve the UK's grassroots concert spaces.
The star was given the prize on October 16 as his third album his work was declared the top album of the last 12 months.
The musician has decided to hand the money over to the MVT, in acknowledgment of the crucial part local spots fulfilled in his early career.
"I couldn't be pursuing my current career if it hadn't been for all the gigs I played around the region, and beyond, when I was starting out," remarked the artist. "These venues are iconic, but they are in difficulty."
Since the start of 2023, at least 150 of these locations have shut down – approximately 16% of the entire UK sector.
Recently, well-known musicians such as the band Pulp, the group Coldplay, Katy Perry and Sheeran have all backed the MVT in its initiatives to help venues survive, by applying a small levy to their ticket costs, which benefits smaller concert halls.
Fender also participated, raising more than £100,000 on his recent tour to assist thirty-eight local spots across the UK.
The money supported spaces that were confronting imminent closure due to difficulties arising from flooding, blazes and family tragedies, as well as licensing issues, conflicts and neighbor objections.
Some locations received financial assistance in improving facilities and sound and lighting systems that positively impacted musicians and audiences.
"The idea that revenue from performances in big venues backs the local stages, where it kicks off for artists like me, is just common sense," the star has stated.
Fender is not the first artist to contribute his honor funds to good deeds.
When they won the prize in the mid-90s for their release the album, vocalist the singer announced that the band would donate their prize money to the organization War Child.
In 2002, rapper and singer Ms Dynamite shared her bounty across several organizations, including the children's charity and a Sickle Cell organization.
"I also gave a grand to my local community centre, to their classes, because I trained in gymnastics when I was growing up and they lacked updated gear," the artist shared with a publication.
Two years ago, the band donated their winnings to the community center that nurtured their band, alongside other local music groups.
Also winners that year they contributed their award to a charity for MS after a friend was identified with the illness.
"Receiving the award was sufficient," said vocalist the singer. "The cash was the extra but we didn't require the cherry, because we had the main prize. So our winning impacted somebody else's life."
Last week, the Music Venues Trust shared it had protected several grassroots venues in the South East, by bringing them into local control.
One venue in the city and the second in that location were acquired under the public acquisition program, which is backed by a national body and enthusiasts who buy "stakes" in the properties.
