Sam Fender has handed over the complete sum of his £25k honor winnings to the MVT, which works to save the UK's small live music spots.
Fender was awarded the prize on 16 October as his new release the album was chosen as the top album of the past year.
He has opted to donate the funds to the Music Venues Trust, in acknowledgment of the vital role grassroots venues fulfilled in his early career.
"I personally couldn't be pursuing what I am doing today if it hadn't been for all the performances I did around the region, and beyond, when I was just getting going," stated the artist. "These spaces are iconic, but they are in difficulty."
Beginning in 2023, at least 150 of these spaces have shut down – approximately one-sixth of the entire UK sector.
In the last year, well-known musicians like the band Pulp, Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all backed the MVT in its efforts to support the industry, by adding a modest fee to their ticket costs, which supports local stages.
Sam Fender also participated, generating in excess of £100,000 on his live tour to support numerous local spots across England, Scotland, and Wales.
The donation helped venues that were facing possible closure due to challenges caused by floods, fires and bereavements, as well as licensing issues, legal disputes and sound issues.
Some locations were granted financial assistance in upgrading amenities and gear that directly benefitted artists and audiences.
"The idea that revenue from performances in large arenas backs the independent spots, where it all starts for artists like me, is just logical," Fender has commented.
He is far from the only musician to give his Mercury Prize funds to charitable organizations.
In Pulp won the award in the mid-90s for their album Different Class, lead singer Cocker stated that the group would give their winnings to the organization War Child.
During 2002, rapper and singer she split her award across several good causes, like the children's charity and a Sickle Cell charity.
"Additionally, I contributed a thousand pounds to my local community centre, to their gymnastics class, because I did gymnastics when I was younger and they lacked updated gear," she told the media.
In recent years, they gave their prize money to the youth organization that nurtured their act, as well as other local music groups.
And the 1994 recipients they gave their award to a charity for MS after a friend was found to have the disease.
"Receiving the award was sufficient," said artist Small. "The money was the extra but we could do without the bonus, because we had the cake. So our victory touched the lives of others."
Recently, the Music Venues Trust revealed it had rescued a couple of small stages in south-east England, by placing them under local control.
The first in Southampton and the other in the city were acquired under the Own Our Venues scheme, which is supported by the arts council and enthusiasts who buy "shares" in the properties.
