Sam Fender has handed over the entirety of his £25k Mercury Prize prize money to the MVT, which works to save the Britain's independent live music spots.
The star was awarded the prize on mid-October as his third album the album was declared the best record of the previous year.
He has decided to give the cash to the MVT, in appreciation of the essential function local spots fulfilled in his early career.
"As an artist couldn't be pursuing my current career if it wasn't for all the shows I did around the North East, and beyond, when I was just getting going," stated Sam Fender. "These spaces are iconic, but they are facing challenges."
Since the start of 2023, at least 150 of these spaces have shut down – approximately one-sixth of the whole industry in the UK.
In the last year, major artists including the band Pulp, Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Sheeran have all backed the trust in its initiatives to keep the scene afloat, by applying a minor surcharge to their ticket costs, which benefits smaller concert halls.
Fender also took part, generating over £100k on his 2024 arena tour to assist 38 grassroots venues across Britain.
The money assisted venues that were dealing with potential shutdown due to difficulties stemming from floods, blazes and bereavements, as well as regulatory hurdles, court cases and noise complaints.
Other venues obtained financial assistance in modernizing facilities and technical equipment that directly benefitted artists and audiences.
"The idea that money from shows in large arenas supports the smaller venues, where it all starts for artists like me, is just logical," Sam Fender has commented.
The musician is among several artists to give his Mercury Prize winnings to charitable organizations.
In they earned the trophy in the year 1996 for their record the album, frontman the singer declared that the band would give their cash to the charity War Child.
During 2002, rapper and singer Ms Dynamite split her prize across several organizations, like the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell organization.
"I also contributed a grand to my local community centre, to their gymnastics program, because I trained in gymnastics when I was younger and they lacked better apparatus," she shared with outlets.
Previously, they donated their funds to the youth organization that supported their group, alongside other local music groups.
And 1994 winners the group donated their prize to a charity for MS after a acquaintance was diagnosed the illness.
"The victory was ample," remarked vocalist Small. "The prize was the bonus but we didn't need the extra, because we had the honor. So our victory impacted the lives of others."
In the past week, the trust announced it had protected two grassroots venues in that region, by bringing them into public stewardship.
The first in that area and the second in that location were bought under the Own Our Venues program, which is supported by Arts Council England and enthusiasts who buy "shares" in the venues.
