Sam Fender has given the complete sum of his twenty-five thousand pound Mercury Prize cash to the Music Venues Trust, which works to save the Britain's small music venues.
The star was given the award on mid-October as his new release his work was chosen as the top album of the last 12 months.
He has chosen to donate the funds to the MVT, in appreciation of the crucial part small stages played in his beginning days.
"I personally couldn't be pursuing my current career if it weren't for all the shows I performed around the area, and elsewhere, when I was starting out," stated Fender. "These locations are renowned, but they are in difficulty."
Beginning in 2023, over 150 of these venues have shut down – about 16% of the whole industry in the UK.
In the last year, top acts like Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all backed the MVT in its attempts to support the industry, by including a small levy to their admission fees, which supports local stages.
Fender also joined in, collecting more than £100,000 on his 2024 arena tour to support numerous small stages across the UK.
The donation supported locations that were facing possible closure due to issues arising from floods, fire incidents and personal losses, as well as licensing issues, conflicts and noise complaints.
Other venues were granted monetary aid in modernizing infrastructure and gear that helped artists and fans.
"The notion that funds from performances in big venues backs the independent spots, where it begins for artists like me, is just common sense," the star has said.
Fender is far from the only musician to donate his Mercury Prize funds to good deeds.
Back when they earned the award in 1996 for their record the album, frontman the singer announced that the group would contribute their winnings to the organization War Child.
During 2002, rapper and singer the artist shared her prize between several charities, such as the children's charity and a Sickle Cell organization.
"I also donated a £1,000 to the center, to their classes, because I did gymnastics when I was growing up and they needed new equipment," Ms Dynamite told a publication.
Two years ago, Ezra Collective donated their prize money to the youth organization that nurtured their group, alongside other local music groups.
And the 1994 recipients they contributed their award to a charity for MS after a friend was diagnosed the illness.
"Winning was quite enough," stated artist Heather Small. "The prize was the bonus but we didn't require the bonus, because we had the cake. So our success affected the lives of others."
Recently, the Music Venues Trust announced it had protected a couple of local spots in that region, by bringing them into public stewardship.
The Joiners in Southampton and the second in the city were acquired under the Own Our Venues program, which is funded by the arts council and music fans who buy "ownership units" in the buildings.
