Sam Fender has given the complete sum of his £25k honor prize money to the Music Venues Trust, which works to save the UK's small music venues.
He was awarded the cheque on 16 October as his third album his work was named the top album of the past year.
He has opted to hand the money over to the trust, in acknowledgment of the essential function grassroots venues had in his beginning days.
"I wouldn't be doing this success if it wasn't for all the performances I did around the North East, and beyond, when I was beginning," said Sam Fender. "These venues are renowned, but they are struggling."
Since the start of 2023, at least 150 of these locations have ceased operations – roughly one-sixth of the whole industry in the UK.
Over the past year, well-known musicians including the band Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Sheeran have all aided the Music Venues Trust in its initiatives to support the industry, by adding a small levy to their ticket costs, which supports local stages.
Sam Fender also joined in, raising more than £100,000 on his recent tour to assist 38 grassroots venues across the UK.
The donation supported spaces that were dealing with imminent closure due to difficulties stemming from floods, fires and personal losses, as well as permit problems, court cases and noise complaints.
Additional spaces obtained monetary aid in upgrading infrastructure and gear that helped artists and concertgoers.
"The notion that revenue from shows in major spaces backs the independent spots, where it begins for musicians like me, is just common sense," Sam Fender has stated.
The musician is not the first artist to donate his Mercury Prize funds to good deeds.
Back when they won the trophy in the mid-90s for their album the album, lead singer the singer announced that the group would donate their cash to the non-profit the charity.
That year, rapper and singer Ms Dynamite split her bounty across multiple charities, such as the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell charity.
"Additionally, I gave a £1,000 to my local community centre, to their gymnastics program, because I practiced gymnastics when I was growing up and they needed new equipment," the artist shared with a publication.
Previously, Ezra Collective contributed their funds to the local youth club that supported their act, as well as other independent music bodies.
Also 1994 winners they donated their award to a MS organization after a acquaintance was diagnosed the condition.
"Winning was ample," remarked vocalist the singer. "The prize was the cherry on top but we didn't need the cherry, because we had the honor. So our victory touched somebody else's life."
Recently, the Music Venues Trust shared it had rescued a couple of local spots in that region, by bringing them into local control.
The first in that area and the second in the city were purchased under the community ownership initiative, which is supported by a national body and music fans who acquire "shares" in the venues.
