Sam Fender has donated the full amount of his £25k Mercury Prize winnings to the trust for venues, which functions to protect the UK's small concert spaces.
Fender was given the prize on 16 October as his latest record People Watching was chosen as the top album of the last 12 months.
Fender has decided to donate the funds to the MVT, in acknowledgment of the crucial part small stages had in his early career.
"I personally couldn't be pursuing my current career if it weren't for all the shows I played around the area, and further afield, when I was beginning," stated Fender. "These venues are renowned, but they are struggling."
Beginning in 2023, more than 150 of these venues have shut down – roughly 16 percent of the total UK scene.
Over the past year, major artists like Pulp, the group Coldplay, Katy Perry and Sheeran have all aided the trust in its attempts to help venues survive, by applying a small levy to their ticket costs, which benefits local stages.
Sam Fender also took part, collecting more than £100,000 on his recent tour to help numerous grassroots venues across England, Scotland, and Wales.
These funds helped spaces that were facing potential shutdown due to challenges arising from flooding, fire incidents and family tragedies, as well as permit problems, legal disputes and noise complaints.
Other venues were granted funding support in upgrading amenities and gear that positively impacted artists and fans.
"The notion that funds from performances in large arenas helps the independent spots, where it all starts for musicians like me, is just common sense," Sam Fender has commented.
Fender is far from the only musician to donate his award prize money to worthy causes.
When Pulp received the award in 1996 for their record their work, frontman Jarvis Cocker declared that the band would give their winnings to the non-profit War Child.
During 2002, artist she shared her prize among multiple good causes, such as the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell organization.
"I also donated a thousand pounds to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics program, because I practiced gymnastics when I was growing up and they required better apparatus," the artist told a publication.
Two years ago, they donated their funds to the youth organization that supported their band, in addition to other local music groups.
And 1994 winners they contributed their winnings to a multiple sclerosis charity after a friend was diagnosed the condition.
"The victory was quite enough," remarked vocalist Small. "The cash was the extra but we could do without the cherry, because we had the honor. So our success affected the lives of others."
In the past week, the MVT announced it had saved two small stages in that region, by bringing them into public stewardship.
The first in that area and the second in Bristol were bought under the community ownership scheme, which is backed by Arts Council England and supporters who buy "stakes" in the venues.
