Sam Fender has donated the full amount of his £25k Mercury Prize prize money to the trust for venues, which works to save the UK's independent live music spots.
The star was given the cheque on October 16 as his latest record People Watching was named the top album of the last 12 months.
The musician has opted to hand the money over to the MVT, in recognition of the essential function grassroots venues played in his beginning days.
"As an artist wouldn't be doing what I am doing today if it hadn't been for all the shows I performed around the area, and further afield, when I was starting out," stated Sam Fender. "These locations are legendary, but they are in difficulty."
Beginning in 2023, at least 150 of these locations have shut down – approximately 16% of the whole industry in the UK.
Over the past year, major artists including the band Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Sheeran have all aided the MVT in its efforts to keep the scene afloat, by adding a minor surcharge to their ticket costs, which supports smaller concert halls.
Fender also participated, raising over £100k on his recent tour to support 38 grassroots venues across Britain.
The donation supported spaces that were facing possible closure due to issues arising from flooding, fire incidents and personal losses, as well as licensing issues, legal disputes and sound issues.
Other venues were granted monetary aid in modernizing infrastructure and gear that helped artists and concertgoers.
"The concept that revenue from performances in big venues helps the local stages, where it all starts for performers like me, is just common sense," the star has stated.
The musician is far from the only musician to give his honor winnings to worthy causes.
In Pulp won the award in the mid-90s for their release Different Class, lead singer Jarvis Cocker announced that the act would give their prize money to the non-profit the charity.
In 2002, musician the artist split her bounty across a few charities, such as the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell charity.
"And I contributed a thousand pounds to the center, to their classes, because I practiced gymnastics when I was growing up and they needed new equipment," she explained to outlets.
In recent years, they gave their prize money to the community center that developed their group, alongside other grassroots music organisations.
Additionally winners that year they gave their winnings to a charity for MS after a friend was identified with the illness.
"Receiving the award was ample," stated vocalist Small. "The cash was the extra but we didn't need the extra, because we had the cake. So our victory affected the lives of others."
Recently, the Music Venues Trust announced it had protected several local spots in south-east England, by bringing them into local control.
The Joiners in Southampton and the other in that location were purchased under the Own Our Venues scheme, which is supported by Arts Council England and enthusiasts who buy "ownership units" in the properties.
