The star has given the entirety of his twenty-five thousand pound Mercury Prize winnings to the Music Venues Trust, which works to save the United Kingdom's independent live music spots.
The star was awarded the prize on 16 October as his third album his work was chosen as the outstanding release of the last 12 months.
He has opted to give the cash to the Music Venues Trust, in acknowledgment of the vital role grassroots venues fulfilled in his initial steps.
"As an artist would not have achieved what I am doing today if it weren't for all the shows I did around the North East, and elsewhere, when I was just getting going," remarked the artist. "These venues are legendary, but they are in difficulty."
Since the start of 2023, at least 150 of these locations have permanently closed – roughly 16% of the total UK scene.
Recently, well-known musicians such as Pulp, the group Coldplay, Katy Perry and Sheeran have all backed the Music Venues Trust in its initiatives to keep the scene afloat, by including a minor surcharge to their ticket prices, which supports smaller concert halls.
He also joined in, raising over £100k on his 2024 arena tour to help 38 local spots across Britain.
The donation assisted spaces that were confronting imminent closure due to issues arising from water damage, blazes and bereavements, as well as licensing issues, legal disputes and noise complaints.
Additional spaces obtained funding support in upgrading amenities and gear that helped artists and fans.
"The concept that money from concerts in major spaces helps the smaller venues, where it kicks off for performers like me, is just common sense," the star has commented.
He is not the first artist to donate his honor winnings to good deeds.
When the band received the award in 1996 for their record Different Class, vocalist Cocker declared that the group would give their prize money to the organization the charity.
In 2002, artist Ms Dynamite split her prize among a few organizations, including the children's charity and a Sickle Cell organization.
"And I contributed a £1,000 to my local community centre, to their gymnastics program, because I practiced gymnastics when I was growing up and they required new equipment," she told a publication.
In recent years, the band donated their winnings to the youth organization that developed their band, in addition to other independent music bodies.
Additionally winners that year the group contributed their winnings to a multiple sclerosis charity after a friend was identified with the illness.
"Winning was ample," remarked artist the singer. "The money was the cherry on top but we didn't need the bonus, because we had the honor. So our success affected the lives of others."
Recently, the Music Venues Trust revealed it had protected a couple of grassroots venues in the South East, by transferring them to public stewardship.
One venue in that area and The Croft in that location were purchased under the community ownership program, which is funded by Arts Council England and music fans who buy "ownership units" in the buildings.
