Sam Fender has donated the full amount of his £25k Mercury Prize winnings to the trust for venues, which works to save the UK's independent concert spaces.
Fender was presented with the cheque on October 16 as his latest record People Watching was named the top album of the previous year.
Fender has opted to hand the money over to the MVT, in recognition of the crucial part local spots fulfilled in his early career.
"I would not have achieved my current career if it hadn't been for all the shows I did around the region, and further afield, when I was beginning," stated Fender. "These venues are iconic, but they are facing challenges."
From early 2023 onward, more than 150 of these locations have permanently closed – about 16 percent of the total UK scene.
Over the past year, well-known musicians like Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all aided the trust in its initiatives to support the industry, by applying a modest fee to their admission fees, which supports independent venues.
Fender also joined in, generating more than £100,000 on his 2024 arena tour to help 38 local spots across the UK.
The donation supported venues that were dealing with imminent closure due to difficulties stemming from flooding, blazes and personal losses, as well as regulatory hurdles, conflicts and sound issues.
Additional spaces obtained funding support in upgrading amenities and gear that positively impacted artists and concertgoers.
"The idea that money from performances in major spaces backs the independent spots, where it kicks off for artists like me, is just sensible," the star has stated.
The musician is not the first artist to give his award funds to good deeds.
Back when the band earned the prize in the mid-90s for their album the album, lead singer Cocker stated that the group would contribute their prize money to the non-profit War Child.
That year, musician Ms Dynamite shared her award between multiple good causes, including the children's charity and a Sickle Cell charity.
"And I donated a thousand pounds to my local community centre, to their gymnastics class, because I trained in gymnastics when I was growing up and they required new equipment," she shared with the media.
Previously, they contributed their funds to the local youth club that nurtured their act, alongside other local music groups.
Also 1994 winners they contributed their winnings to a multiple sclerosis charity after a close contact was identified with the disease.
"Winning was quite enough," said vocalist Heather Small. "The cash was the cherry on top but we didn't require the bonus, because we had the main prize. So our success touched the lives of others."
In the past week, the trust announced it had saved two small stages in south-east England, by bringing them into community ownership.
One venue in that area and the other in the city were bought under the Own Our Venues program, which is supported by Arts Council England and supporters who purchase "shares" in the venues.
