Sam Fender has handed over the entirety of his £25k Mercury Prize prize money to the Music Venues Trust, which works to save the UK's small music venues.
He was given the prize on 16 October as his latest record the album was declared the best record of the previous year.
Fender has opted to donate the funds to the trust, in acknowledgment of the crucial part grassroots venues played in his initial steps.
"As an artist would not have achieved this success if it hadn't been for all the gigs I performed around the North East, and beyond, when I was starting out," stated Fender. "These locations are iconic, but they are in difficulty."
Since the start of 2023, more than 150 of these venues have permanently closed – about 16% of the entire UK sector.
Over the past year, major artists including Pulp, the group Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all aided the MVT in its initiatives to support the industry, by including a minor surcharge to their ticket costs, which supports local stages.
Fender also took part, collecting more than £100,000 on his live tour to support 38 local spots across England, Scotland, and Wales.
The money assisted spaces that were confronting imminent closure due to challenges stemming from water damage, blazes and personal losses, as well as permit problems, court cases and sound issues.
Additional spaces obtained financial assistance in upgrading facilities and gear that helped artists and audiences.
"The idea that money from performances in major spaces helps the independent spots, where it all starts for musicians like me, is just sensible," the star has said.
He is among several artists to give his award funds to charitable organizations.
In Pulp won the trophy in the year 1996 for their record their work, frontman Jarvis Cocker announced that the act would donate their cash to the non-profit War Child.
That year, artist she shared her prize between a few organizations, including the children's charity and a charity for Sickle Cell.
"I also donated a grand to my local community centre, to their classes, because I did gymnastics when I was younger and they needed better apparatus," the artist told the media.
Previously, Ezra Collective contributed their winnings to the local youth club that nurtured their act, in addition to other local music groups.
Also 1994 winners M People contributed their award to a multiple sclerosis charity after a friend was identified with the illness.
"Winning was ample," remarked artist Heather Small. "The prize was the extra but we didn't need the cherry, because we had the cake. So our victory affected another person's life."
In the past week, the trust announced it had saved a couple of grassroots venues in that region, by bringing them into community ownership.
One venue in Southampton and the second in the city were acquired under the community ownership program, which is backed by a national body and supporters who buy "ownership units" in the venues.
