Sam Fender has handed over the entirety of his £25k award prize money to the trust for venues, which functions to preserve the UK's grassroots concert spaces.
Fender was presented with the award on 16 October as his new release his work was named the top album of the previous year.
The musician has chosen to hand the money over to the MVT, in appreciation of the vital role local spots fulfilled in his early career.
"I would not have achieved this success if it hadn't been for all the shows I did around the North East, and beyond, when I was just getting going," remarked the artist. "These spaces are iconic, but they are struggling."
Since the start of 2023, over 150 of these locations have shut down – about 16% of the entire UK sector.
In the last year, well-known musicians such as the band Pulp, Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Sheeran have all supported the trust in its initiatives to keep the scene afloat, by adding a small levy to their ticket prices, which goes to help local stages.
Fender also participated, generating in excess of £100,000 on his 2024 arena tour to support thirty-eight small stages across the UK.
These funds helped locations that were confronting imminent closure due to challenges caused by flooding, fire incidents and family tragedies, as well as permit problems, court cases and neighbor objections.
Other venues obtained monetary aid in improving infrastructure and sound and lighting systems that positively impacted artists and audiences.
"The notion that revenue from concerts in large arenas helps the local stages, where it begins for performers like me, is just common sense," Sam Fender has commented.
He is among several artists to contribute his Mercury Prize winnings to worthy causes.
In Pulp earned the award in the year 1996 for their release the album, lead singer Jarvis Cocker announced that the band would give their cash to the non-profit War Child.
That year, artist Ms Dynamite split her award between a few charities, like the NSPCC and a charity for Sickle Cell.
"And I donated a grand to the center, to their gymnastics program, because I practiced gymnastics when I was a child and they required updated gear," she shared with outlets.
Previously, they gave their prize money to the community center that supported their band, in addition to other local music groups.
Additionally winners that year M People donated their winnings to a MS organization after a friend was found to have the condition.
"The victory was ample," remarked artist Small. "The cash was the cherry on top but we could do without the extra, because we had the honor. So our success touched another person's life."
Last week, the Music Venues Trust announced it had saved a couple of grassroots venues in that region, by bringing them into public stewardship.
One venue in that area and the second in that location were purchased under the public acquisition scheme, which is funded by the arts council and supporters who buy "stakes" in the buildings.
