Sam Fender has handed over the full amount of his twenty-five thousand pound Mercury Prize cash to the trust for venues, which functions to preserve the United Kingdom's grassroots concert spaces.
He was presented with the award on October 16 as his new release the album was chosen as the outstanding release of the last 12 months.
He has opted to donate the funds to the MVT, in appreciation of the crucial part local spots played in his early career.
"As an artist wouldn't be doing what I am doing today if it hadn't been for all the performances I played around the North East, and further afield, when I was starting out," said the artist. "These locations are legendary, but they are in difficulty."
Beginning in 2023, over 150 of these locations have permanently closed – roughly one-sixth of the total UK scene.
Over the past year, top acts like Pulp, the group Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all aided the MVT in its efforts to help venues survive, by including a minor surcharge to their ticket prices, which goes to help independent venues.
Fender also took part, generating in excess of £100,000 on his 2024 arena tour to assist thirty-eight local spots across England, Scotland, and Wales.
These funds assisted locations that were facing potential shutdown due to challenges caused by floods, fire incidents and personal losses, as well as licensing issues, legal disputes and neighbor objections.
Some locations were granted monetary aid in improving infrastructure and technical equipment that directly benefitted musicians and fans.
"The idea that money from concerts in big venues backs the smaller venues, where it begins for artists like me, is just sensible," the star has said.
Fender is far from the only musician to contribute his Mercury Prize prize money to worthy causes.
When the band won the prize in 1996 for their album their work, lead singer the singer declared that the band would donate their cash to the charity War Child.
During 2002, rapper and singer the artist split her prize among a few charities, like the NSPCC and a charity for Sickle Cell.
"And I gave a £1,000 to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics class, because I practiced gymnastics when I was younger and they lacked updated gear," she told a publication.
Two years ago, Ezra Collective gave their funds to the youth organization that nurtured their band, as well as other local music groups.
Also the 1994 recipients they donated their winnings to a MS organization after a close contact was found to have the condition.
"Winning was sufficient," remarked artist Heather Small. "The money was the bonus but we didn't require the cherry, because we had the honor. So our winning affected somebody else's life."
In the past week, the MVT announced it had rescued two local spots in south-east England, by transferring them to public stewardship.
One venue in the city and the other in that location were bought under the community ownership scheme, which is supported by Arts Council England and enthusiasts who buy "ownership units" in the properties.
