Sam Fender has donated the full amount of his £25,000 Mercury Prize winnings to the Music Venues Trust, which operates to protect the United Kingdom's independent concert spaces.
The star was given the cheque on October 16 as his third album his work was named the best record of the past year.
Fender has chosen to donate the funds to the trust, in appreciation of the essential function grassroots venues had in his initial steps.
"I personally wouldn't be doing this success if it weren't for all the performances I did around the North East, and elsewhere, when I was starting out," said Fender. "These locations are iconic, but they are struggling."
Since the start of 2023, over 150 of these locations have ceased operations – roughly 16% of the whole industry in the UK.
Over the past year, major artists including Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all supported the trust in its attempts to keep the scene afloat, by adding a small levy to their admission fees, which benefits smaller concert halls.
He also participated, raising over £100k on his recent tour to help 38 local spots across Britain.
The money supported locations that were dealing with potential shutdown due to difficulties arising from water damage, blazes and personal losses, as well as licensing issues, legal disputes and sound issues.
Some locations obtained funding support in upgrading infrastructure and gear that helped performers and audiences.
"The idea that revenue from performances in big venues supports the independent spots, where it begins for musicians like me, is just logical," Sam Fender has stated.
The musician is among several artists to donate his award winnings to charitable organizations.
Back when they earned the award in 1996 for their release their work, frontman Jarvis Cocker stated that the band would give their cash to the charity War Child.
During 2002, musician she split her prize across several organizations, like the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell charity.
"I also contributed a thousand pounds to the center, to their classes, because I practiced gymnastics when I was a child and they lacked better apparatus," Ms Dynamite explained to the media.
In recent years, Ezra Collective contributed their winnings to the community center that supported their group, as well as other local music groups.
Additionally 1994 winners they donated their winnings to a charity for MS after a close contact was identified with the condition.
"Receiving the award was sufficient," said singer the singer. "The cash was the bonus but we didn't require the bonus, because we had the main prize. So our success touched another person's life."
Last week, the trust revealed it had protected two small stages in the South East, by bringing them into community ownership.
One venue in Southampton and the second in Bristol were purchased under the community ownership program, which is backed by the arts council and supporters who acquire "shares" in the buildings.
