Sam Fender has given the full amount of his twenty-five thousand pound Mercury Prize cash to the trust for venues, which functions to preserve the Britain's grassroots live music spots.
Fender was awarded the cheque on October 16 as his latest record People Watching was chosen as the top album of the last 12 months.
The musician has opted to hand the money over to the MVT, in appreciation of the essential function small stages fulfilled in his initial steps.
"I would not have achieved what I am doing today if it wasn't for all the shows I performed around the area, and beyond, when I was starting out," said the artist. "These venues are iconic, but they are struggling."
Since the start of 2023, more than 150 of these venues have shut down – approximately 16% of the whole industry in the UK.
Over the past year, major artists including Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all aided the Music Venues Trust in its initiatives to help venues survive, by including a modest fee to their ticket costs, which supports independent venues.
He also joined in, collecting more than £100,000 on his live tour to assist thirty-eight grassroots venues across England, Scotland, and Wales.
The money assisted spaces that were facing imminent closure due to issues stemming from floods, fires and personal losses, as well as permit problems, conflicts and sound issues.
Other venues obtained financial assistance in improving facilities and sound and lighting systems that positively impacted performers and fans.
"The idea that funds from shows in big venues supports the smaller venues, where it all starts for artists like me, is just sensible," the star has said.
The musician is among several artists to donate his Mercury Prize funds to charitable organizations.
Back when the band won the trophy in the year 1996 for their album the album, vocalist Jarvis Cocker declared that the band would contribute their winnings to the charity the charity.
That year, musician Ms Dynamite divided her award among multiple good causes, such as the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell charity.
"Additionally, I donated a grand to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics program, because I practiced gymnastics when I was a child and they lacked better apparatus," Ms Dynamite shared with the media.
Previously, the band gave their funds to the youth organization that nurtured their act, as well as other local music groups.
Also winners that year the group gave their award to a charity for MS after a friend was identified with the condition.
"Receiving the award was quite enough," stated vocalist Small. "The cash was the cherry on top but we didn't need the cherry, because we had the cake. So our victory touched somebody else's life."
Recently, the trust announced it had rescued two local spots in that region, by transferring them to community ownership.
The Joiners in Southampton and the other in Bristol were purchased under the public acquisition program, which is supported by the arts council and enthusiasts who acquire "shares" in the properties.
