Sam Fender has donated the full amount of his £25,000 Mercury Prize prize money to the MVT, which works to save the Britain's grassroots live music spots.
Fender was presented with the prize on 16 October as his new release the album was declared the top album of the past year.
He has decided to give the cash to the MVT, in recognition of the vital role grassroots venues played in his initial steps.
"As an artist wouldn't be doing my current career if it hadn't been for all the shows I played around the region, and beyond, when I was starting out," remarked the artist. "These venues are iconic, but they are in difficulty."
Beginning in 2023, over 150 of these spaces have permanently closed – approximately one-sixth of the entire UK sector.
Over the past year, top acts such as Pulp, the group Coldplay, Katy Perry and Sheeran have all backed the Music Venues Trust in its efforts to keep the scene afloat, by adding a small levy to their admission fees, which goes to help independent venues.
Fender also joined in, raising in excess of £100,000 on his live tour to assist numerous local spots across Britain.
The donation assisted spaces that were dealing with imminent closure due to challenges caused by flooding, fire incidents and family tragedies, as well as permit problems, legal disputes and neighbor objections.
Other venues obtained financial assistance in upgrading infrastructure and sound and lighting systems that positively impacted performers and concertgoers.
"The idea that revenue from shows in major spaces supports the smaller venues, where it begins for artists like me, is just sensible," Sam Fender has stated.
He is far from the only musician to contribute his award winnings to charitable organizations.
In Pulp won the trophy in the year 1996 for their record Different Class, vocalist Jarvis Cocker declared that the act would give their prize money to the non-profit War Child.
In 2002, musician the artist split her award among a few good causes, including the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell organization.
"And I donated a grand to the center, to their gymnastics class, because I did gymnastics when I was younger and they lacked updated gear," Ms Dynamite told the media.
Previously, they donated their funds to the youth organization that supported their act, as well as other local music groups.
And the 1994 recipients M People donated their award to a MS organization after a acquaintance was found to have the disease.
"Winning was quite enough," said vocalist Heather Small. "The money was the bonus but we didn't require the extra, because we had the cake. So our victory affected somebody else's life."
In the past week, the Music Venues Trust revealed it had protected two grassroots venues in south-east England, by bringing them into community ownership.
The Joiners in that area and the other in the city were acquired under the community ownership program, which is backed by a national body and supporters who buy "shares" in the properties.
