Sam Fender has donated the full amount of his £25,000 Mercury Prize prize money to the MVT, which works to save the United Kingdom's small live music spots.
He was awarded the award on mid-October as his new release People Watching was declared the best record of the last 12 months.
The musician has chosen to hand the money over to the trust, in appreciation of the essential function grassroots venues played in his beginning days.
"I personally wouldn't be doing what I am doing today if it wasn't for all the performances I did around the region, and elsewhere, when I was starting out," stated Sam Fender. "These venues are legendary, but they are facing challenges."
From early 2023 onward, over 150 of these locations have ceased operations – approximately one-sixth of the entire UK sector.
Over the past year, major artists like Pulp, the group Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Sheeran have all aided the trust in its initiatives to keep the scene afloat, by applying a minor surcharge to their ticket prices, which goes to help smaller concert halls.
He also participated, raising over £100k on his live tour to help thirty-eight local spots across the UK.
These funds assisted locations that were dealing with possible closure due to challenges arising from floods, blazes and personal losses, as well as regulatory hurdles, legal disputes and sound issues.
Additional spaces were granted funding support in upgrading amenities and sound and lighting systems that positively impacted artists and concertgoers.
"The notion that funds from shows in major spaces supports the independent spots, where it kicks off for performers like me, is just common sense," Sam Fender has said.
He is among several artists to contribute his honor funds to charitable organizations.
When Pulp received the prize in the mid-90s for their album Different Class, frontman Cocker declared that the act would donate their cash to the charity War Child.
In 2002, musician Ms Dynamite divided her award among several charities, like the NSPCC and a charity for Sickle Cell.
"And I contributed a thousand pounds to my local community centre, to their classes, because I practiced gymnastics when I was younger and they required new equipment," Ms Dynamite told the media.
Previously, Ezra Collective contributed their funds to the community center that nurtured their group, alongside other local music groups.
And winners that year the group gave their prize to a charity for MS after a acquaintance was diagnosed the illness.
"The victory was quite enough," remarked vocalist the singer. "The prize was the extra but we didn't require the bonus, because we had the cake. So our winning affected the lives of others."
Recently, the MVT shared it had rescued several local spots in the South East, by transferring them to community ownership.
One venue in that area and The Croft in that location were bought under the public acquisition program, which is backed by Arts Council England and enthusiasts who acquire "shares" in the venues.
