Sam Fender has handed over the full amount of his £25,000 Mercury Prize prize money to the MVT, which works to preserve the UK's small concert spaces.
Fender was given the cheque on 16 October as his latest record his work was declared the best record of the last 12 months.
The musician has decided to give the cash to the MVT, in recognition of the vital role small stages fulfilled in his beginning days.
"I couldn't be pursuing what I am doing today if it wasn't for all the gigs I performed around the North East, and further afield, when I was starting out," said the artist. "These spaces are legendary, but they are in difficulty."
Beginning in 2023, over 150 of these spaces have ceased operations – approximately 16% of the whole industry in the UK.
Recently, top acts like Pulp, the group Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Sheeran have all backed the Music Venues Trust in its initiatives to help venues survive, by applying a small levy to their ticket prices, which supports local stages.
Fender also participated, generating in excess of £100,000 on his recent tour to assist thirty-eight small stages across Britain.
These funds helped venues that were dealing with imminent closure due to challenges caused by flooding, blazes and bereavements, as well as licensing issues, court cases and noise complaints.
Additional spaces received financial assistance in upgrading facilities and technical equipment that helped artists and fans.
"The concept that funds from shows in big venues backs the local stages, where it all starts for performers like me, is just sensible," the star has stated.
The musician is among several artists to contribute his Mercury Prize prize money to good deeds.
When the band received the trophy in the year 1996 for their release the album, frontman the singer declared that the band would give their cash to the organization the charity.
During 2002, rapper and singer the artist split her award between a few charities, like the children's charity and a Sickle Cell organization.
"And I donated a £1,000 to Highgate Newtown, to their classes, because I practiced gymnastics when I was younger and they required better apparatus," Ms Dynamite shared with outlets.
Two years ago, they contributed their prize money to the youth organization that developed their band, alongside other local music groups.
Additionally the 1994 recipients they donated their winnings to a MS organization after a friend was found to have the disease.
"The victory was sufficient," said singer Small. "The prize was the cherry on top but we didn't require the bonus, because we had the main prize. So our winning affected another person's life."
In the past week, the Music Venues Trust shared it had protected a couple of grassroots venues in south-east England, by bringing them into community ownership.
The first in that area and the other in that location were bought under the public acquisition scheme, which is backed by the arts council and enthusiasts who acquire "shares" in the properties.
