Sam Fender has donated the full amount of his £25,000 Mercury Prize cash to the MVT, which operates to save the Britain's small music venues.
He was presented with the prize on October 16 as his third album his work was declared the best record of the last 12 months.
He has decided to donate the funds to the trust, in acknowledgment of the vital role grassroots venues played in his initial steps.
"I personally wouldn't be doing what I am doing today if it hadn't been for all the gigs I did around the North East, and further afield, when I was starting out," remarked the artist. "These locations are iconic, but they are facing challenges."
Beginning in 2023, over 150 of these locations have ceased operations – roughly 16% of the total UK scene.
Over the past year, top acts including the band Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all supported the trust in its efforts to keep the scene afloat, by including a modest fee to their admission fees, which supports independent venues.
Sam Fender also participated, raising more than £100,000 on his live tour to support thirty-eight small stages across Britain.
The donation supported spaces that were confronting imminent closure due to issues stemming from water damage, fire incidents and bereavements, as well as licensing issues, legal disputes and sound issues.
Some locations were granted monetary aid in improving facilities and sound and lighting systems that helped performers and fans.
"The notion that funds from concerts in major spaces helps the smaller venues, where it kicks off for musicians like me, is just sensible," the star has commented.
Fender is not the first artist to give his honor funds to worthy causes.
In the band earned the award in the mid-90s for their record their work, frontman Cocker stated that the band would give their winnings to the charity the charity.
That year, artist Ms Dynamite split her bounty between several charities, including the NSPCC and a charity for Sickle Cell.
"And I donated a thousand pounds to my local community centre, to their classes, because I trained in gymnastics when I was younger and they required updated gear," Ms Dynamite explained to outlets.
Previously, they contributed their funds to the local youth club that nurtured their act, alongside other local music groups.
And 1994 winners M People donated their prize to a charity for MS after a friend was diagnosed the disease.
"Winning was ample," said artist the singer. "The cash was the bonus but we didn't require the bonus, because we had the honor. So our success impacted the lives of others."
Recently, the trust shared it had protected several small stages in south-east England, by transferring them to public stewardship.
The Joiners in Southampton and The Croft in that location were bought under the public acquisition initiative, which is backed by the arts council and music fans who buy "shares" in the buildings.
