Sam Fender has donated the complete sum of his £25k Mercury Prize prize money to the Music Venues Trust, which functions to preserve the UK's independent live music spots.
He was given the cheque on mid-October as his latest record People Watching was declared the outstanding release of the past year.
He has opted to hand the money over to the trust, in recognition of the vital role small stages fulfilled in his early career.
"I personally wouldn't be doing what I am doing today if it weren't for all the shows I did around the region, and further afield, when I was starting out," said the artist. "These spaces are legendary, but they are struggling."
Since the start of 2023, at least 150 of these venues have permanently closed – approximately 16 percent of the total UK scene.
In the last year, well-known musicians including Pulp, Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all aided the Music Venues Trust in its efforts to keep the scene afloat, by adding a minor surcharge to their ticket costs, which goes to help smaller concert halls.
Sam Fender also took part, raising more than £100,000 on his recent tour to support thirty-eight local spots across Britain.
The donation assisted spaces that were dealing with potential shutdown due to challenges stemming from flooding, blazes and bereavements, as well as licensing issues, court cases and sound issues.
Additional spaces were granted monetary aid in improving facilities and gear that helped performers and audiences.
"The notion that revenue from concerts in big venues helps the local stages, where it kicks off for performers like me, is just common sense," Sam Fender has stated.
The musician is not the first artist to donate his award prize money to charitable organizations.
Back when they earned the award in 1996 for their record Different Class, frontman Cocker stated that the band would contribute their winnings to the organization War Child.
That year, rapper and singer Ms Dynamite divided her bounty between multiple good causes, like the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell charity.
"Additionally, I gave a grand to my local community centre, to their classes, because I practiced gymnastics when I was growing up and they needed better apparatus," she explained to a publication.
Previously, they contributed their winnings to the local youth club that nurtured their act, in addition to other local music groups.
Additionally 1994 winners they contributed their prize to a multiple sclerosis charity after a acquaintance was identified with the condition.
"Receiving the award was sufficient," remarked artist Small. "The cash was the extra but we didn't need the cherry, because we had the cake. So our victory touched the lives of others."
Last week, the Music Venues Trust announced it had rescued two small stages in south-east England, by placing them under public stewardship.
One venue in the city and The Croft in that location were purchased under the community ownership initiative, which is supported by the arts council and supporters who buy "shares" in the buildings.
