Sam Fender has given the entirety of his £25,000 Mercury Prize winnings to the Music Venues Trust, which operates to save the United Kingdom's grassroots concert spaces.
Fender was presented with the award on mid-October as his third album People Watching was chosen as the top album of the past year.
He has chosen to hand the money over to the MVT, in recognition of the crucial part local spots played in his beginning days.
"I personally would not have achieved what I am doing today if it hadn't been for all the shows I played around the area, and beyond, when I was beginning," said the artist. "These locations are iconic, but they are facing challenges."
Beginning in 2023, over 150 of these spaces have ceased operations – approximately one-sixth of the whole industry in the UK.
Over the past year, top acts such as Pulp, Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all supported the MVT in its attempts to support the industry, by applying a modest fee to their admission fees, which supports independent venues.
Sam Fender also took part, raising more than £100,000 on his recent tour to support thirty-eight small stages across Britain.
The money supported spaces that were facing possible closure due to challenges caused by flooding, fires and bereavements, as well as regulatory hurdles, conflicts and neighbor objections.
Other venues obtained monetary aid in improving infrastructure and sound and lighting systems that positively impacted performers and audiences.
"The notion that revenue from concerts in major spaces backs the local stages, where it all starts for artists like me, is just sensible," the star has said.
The musician is among several artists to contribute his honor prize money to good deeds.
When the band won the trophy in the mid-90s for their album the album, lead singer Jarvis Cocker declared that the act would give their winnings to the non-profit the charity.
During 2002, rapper and singer the artist split her prize across several organizations, like the children's charity and a charity for Sickle Cell.
"And I donated a grand to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics program, because I practiced gymnastics when I was younger and they lacked better apparatus," Ms Dynamite told a publication.
Two years ago, the band contributed their funds to the youth organization that nurtured their band, as well as other local music groups.
Also winners that year the group contributed their winnings to a multiple sclerosis charity after a acquaintance was diagnosed the condition.
"The victory was ample," stated artist Heather Small. "The cash was the extra but we didn't need the extra, because we had the honor. So our victory touched another person's life."
In the past week, the Music Venues Trust revealed it had saved two local spots in the South East, by bringing them into public stewardship.
One venue in Southampton and The Croft in Bristol were acquired under the community ownership program, which is funded by the arts council and supporters who purchase "shares" in the buildings.
