Sam Fender has handed over the complete sum of his twenty-five thousand pound honor winnings to the MVT, which functions to protect the UK's independent live music spots.
Fender was given the award on 16 October as his latest record his work was named the outstanding release of the past year.
Fender has chosen to hand the money over to the Music Venues Trust, in recognition of the vital role local spots fulfilled in his beginning days.
"As an artist couldn't be pursuing my current career if it hadn't been for all the shows I played around the area, and beyond, when I was starting out," said Fender. "These locations are legendary, but they are in difficulty."
Beginning in 2023, at least 150 of these spaces have permanently closed – roughly one-sixth of the whole industry in the UK.
In the last year, top acts like Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all supported the trust in its initiatives to help venues survive, by applying a small levy to their ticket prices, which benefits local stages.
Fender also participated, generating more than £100,000 on his recent tour to help 38 local spots across Britain.
The money supported locations that were confronting potential shutdown due to challenges arising from water damage, fires and personal losses, as well as permit problems, legal disputes and noise complaints.
Other venues received funding support in modernizing facilities and technical equipment that directly benefitted performers and concertgoers.
"The notion that revenue from shows in big venues helps the local stages, where it begins for artists like me, is just common sense," Sam Fender has commented.
He is not the first artist to give his Mercury Prize prize money to good deeds.
Back when the band won the award in 1996 for their album Different Class, vocalist the singer announced that the group would contribute their prize money to the non-profit the charity.
During 2002, artist the artist split her prize between several good causes, such as the NSPCC and a charity for Sickle Cell.
"And I gave a thousand pounds to Highgate Newtown, to their classes, because I trained in gymnastics when I was growing up and they lacked new equipment," Ms Dynamite shared with a publication.
Previously, the band gave their winnings to the youth organization that nurtured their group, in addition to other grassroots music organisations.
And winners that year they contributed their prize to a charity for MS after a friend was identified with the illness.
"The victory was quite enough," said artist Small. "The money was the cherry on top but we didn't require the cherry, because we had the cake. So our victory impacted the lives of others."
Last week, the trust shared it had protected several small stages in the South East, by placing them under public stewardship.
One venue in Southampton and the other in Bristol were acquired under the Own Our Venues initiative, which is backed by the arts council and enthusiasts who purchase "shares" in the properties.
