Sam Fender has handed over the full amount of his £25k Mercury Prize winnings to the trust for venues, which functions to save the UK's grassroots music venues.
Fender was awarded the award on October 16 as his third album the album was named the best record of the last 12 months.
Fender has opted to hand the money over to the MVT, in recognition of the crucial part grassroots venues played in his beginning days.
"As an artist would not have achieved this success if it wasn't for all the gigs I performed around the North East, and further afield, when I was just getting going," stated Sam Fender. "These locations are legendary, but they are in difficulty."
Since the start of 2023, over 150 of these venues have ceased operations – about one-sixth of the entire UK sector.
Over the past year, well-known musicians like Pulp, the group Coldplay, Katy Perry and Sheeran have all aided the MVT in its attempts to keep the scene afloat, by adding a modest fee to their ticket costs, which supports smaller concert halls.
Fender also joined in, generating in excess of £100,000 on his 2024 arena tour to help thirty-eight local spots across England, Scotland, and Wales.
The money supported spaces that were facing possible closure due to issues arising from water damage, fire incidents and personal losses, as well as regulatory hurdles, legal disputes and neighbor objections.
Some locations were granted financial assistance in improving facilities and technical equipment that directly benefitted artists and audiences.
"The concept that funds from shows in big venues helps the smaller venues, where it kicks off for musicians like me, is just common sense," Sam Fender has commented.
Fender is among several artists to donate his award funds to worthy causes.
In Pulp earned the trophy in the year 1996 for their release the album, frontman Jarvis Cocker declared that the band would give their cash to the organization War Child.
In 2002, musician she divided her prize among multiple organizations, such as the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell charity.
"Additionally, I gave a £1,000 to the center, to their gymnastics class, because I did gymnastics when I was growing up and they lacked updated gear," the artist shared with outlets.
Two years ago, they contributed their winnings to the community center that nurtured their group, as well as other grassroots music organisations.
Additionally 1994 winners M People contributed their prize to a MS organization after a friend was found to have the illness.
"The victory was quite enough," said singer the singer. "The money was the bonus but we didn't need the cherry, because we had the cake. So our success impacted somebody else's life."
In the past week, the trust shared it had saved a couple of small stages in the South East, by bringing them into local control.
One venue in the city and The Croft in the city were purchased under the community ownership initiative, which is supported by a national body and supporters who acquire "shares" in the venues.
