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The artist has donated the full amount of his £25k Mercury Prize cash to the trust for venues, which functions to protect the UK's small live music spots.

He was presented with the cheque on mid-October as his third album his work was chosen as the top album of the previous year.

He has chosen to hand the money over to the Music Venues Trust, in acknowledgment of the crucial part small stages played in his beginning days.

"As an artist couldn't be pursuing my current career if it weren't for all the gigs I played around the North East, and elsewhere, when I was beginning," remarked the artist. "These spaces are iconic, but they are facing challenges."

From early 2023 onward, over 150 of these spaces have shut down – about 16% of the entire UK sector.

Recently, major artists like Pulp, the group Coldplay, Katy Perry and Sheeran have all backed the trust in its efforts to keep the scene afloat, by applying a small levy to their ticket prices, which goes to help local stages.

Fender also participated, collecting more than £100,000 on his live tour to assist thirty-eight small stages across the UK.

The donation supported locations that were confronting potential shutdown due to challenges arising from floods, blazes and personal losses, as well as permit problems, court cases and noise complaints.

Other venues were granted funding support in improving facilities and technical equipment that helped artists and audiences.

"The notion that money from concerts in large arenas backs the independent spots, where it kicks off for artists like me, is just sensible," Fender has commented.

Fender is far from the only musician to contribute his honor prize money to good deeds.

Back when Pulp received the trophy in 1996 for their release the album, frontman Cocker announced that the group would donate their winnings to the non-profit the charity.

In 2002, musician she divided her prize between multiple charities, including the NSPCC and a charity for Sickle Cell.

"And I gave a £1,000 to my local community centre, to their gymnastics program, because I trained in gymnastics when I was growing up and they lacked updated gear," Ms Dynamite shared with outlets.

Previously, Ezra Collective gave their winnings to the youth organization that developed their act, in addition to other local music groups.

And winners that year they donated their award to a multiple sclerosis charity after a friend was identified with the condition.

"Winning was ample," stated vocalist the singer. "The prize was the cherry on top but we didn't require the bonus, because we had the cake. So our success affected another person's life."

Last week, the trust shared it had protected two small stages in that region, by placing them under community ownership.

The Joiners in that area and The Croft in Bristol were bought under the Own Our Venues initiative, which is funded by Arts Council England and supporters who purchase "stakes" in the properties.