Sam Fender has given the entirety of his £25,000 award prize money to the Music Venues Trust, which works to protect the United Kingdom's grassroots live music spots.
Fender was presented with the prize on mid-October as his latest record his work was named the outstanding release of the previous year.
Fender has decided to give the cash to the Music Venues Trust, in recognition of the crucial part grassroots venues fulfilled in his early career.
"I personally couldn't be pursuing my current career if it weren't for all the shows I performed around the region, and beyond, when I was just getting going," said Sam Fender. "These venues are iconic, but they are facing challenges."
Beginning in 2023, at least 150 of these venues have ceased operations – about 16 percent of the whole industry in the UK.
Recently, well-known musicians including the band Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Sheeran have all supported the Music Venues Trust in its efforts to keep the scene afloat, by including a modest fee to their ticket prices, which goes to help independent venues.
Sam Fender also joined in, generating over £100k on his recent tour to help 38 local spots across England, Scotland, and Wales.
The money supported venues that were confronting potential shutdown due to issues caused by floods, blazes and personal losses, as well as permit problems, court cases and noise complaints.
Other venues were granted monetary aid in upgrading infrastructure and gear that helped musicians and audiences.
"The concept that funds from concerts in major spaces backs the local stages, where it kicks off for performers like me, is just logical," the star has said.
The musician is among several artists to donate his Mercury Prize prize money to charitable organizations.
In they earned the award in 1996 for their record the album, lead singer Cocker declared that the act would give their cash to the non-profit the charity.
During 2002, rapper and singer Ms Dynamite shared her award across multiple charities, such as the NSPCC and a charity for Sickle Cell.
"And I gave a grand to the center, to their gymnastics class, because I practiced gymnastics when I was younger and they needed better apparatus," Ms Dynamite explained to a publication.
Previously, Ezra Collective contributed their funds to the community center that developed their group, in addition to other grassroots music organisations.
Also winners that year they gave their prize to a charity for MS after a acquaintance was identified with the condition.
"Receiving the award was sufficient," said artist the singer. "The cash was the extra but we didn't require the cherry, because we had the cake. So our victory affected another person's life."
Last week, the MVT announced it had saved two local spots in the South East, by bringing them into public stewardship.
The Joiners in Southampton and The Croft in the city were purchased under the Own Our Venues initiative, which is funded by Arts Council England and supporters who buy "ownership units" in the properties.
