Sam Fender has donated the full amount of his £25k honor winnings to the Music Venues Trust, which operates to save the United Kingdom's grassroots live music spots.
The star was awarded the cheque on 16 October as his third album the album was named the outstanding release of the previous year.
Fender has decided to donate the funds to the MVT, in recognition of the vital role small stages played in his initial steps.
"As an artist would not have achieved what I am doing today if it hadn't been for all the performances I did around the North East, and beyond, when I was just getting going," remarked Sam Fender. "These locations are renowned, but they are facing challenges."
Beginning in 2023, more than 150 of these locations have shut down – roughly 16% of the total UK scene.
Over the past year, top acts such as Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all backed the MVT in its initiatives to support the industry, by adding a small levy to their admission fees, which goes to help smaller concert halls.
Fender also participated, generating in excess of £100,000 on his recent tour to support thirty-eight grassroots venues across Britain.
These funds supported spaces that were confronting imminent closure due to challenges arising from water damage, fires and family tragedies, as well as regulatory hurdles, court cases and sound issues.
Other venues were granted monetary aid in modernizing amenities and gear that positively impacted performers and audiences.
"The idea that revenue from shows in large arenas helps the smaller venues, where it all starts for musicians like me, is just logical," Fender has said.
Fender is far from the only musician to donate his Mercury Prize winnings to worthy causes.
In Pulp received the prize in 1996 for their album Different Class, frontman Cocker announced that the act would donate their winnings to the charity War Child.
In 2002, artist Ms Dynamite split her prize between multiple good causes, such as the NSPCC and a charity for Sickle Cell.
"Additionally, I gave a grand to my local community centre, to their classes, because I trained in gymnastics when I was a child and they required new equipment," she explained to the media.
Previously, the band donated their prize money to the community center that developed their group, in addition to other local music groups.
Also 1994 winners they contributed their prize to a MS organization after a acquaintance was found to have the disease.
"Winning was quite enough," said vocalist Small. "The cash was the cherry on top but we didn't need the extra, because we had the main prize. So our victory touched the lives of others."
In the past week, the trust announced it had rescued a couple of local spots in that region, by bringing them into public stewardship.
The first in Southampton and the other in that location were purchased under the public acquisition program, which is funded by a national body and enthusiasts who acquire "ownership units" in the venues.
