Sam Fender has handed over the full amount of his £25k honor prize money to the MVT, which works to preserve the UK's independent music venues.
The star was presented with the prize on 16 October as his third album People Watching was named the outstanding release of the previous year.
The musician has decided to hand the money over to the Music Venues Trust, in acknowledgment of the vital role grassroots venues fulfilled in his beginning days.
"As an artist wouldn't be doing my current career if it weren't for all the shows I performed around the North East, and further afield, when I was just getting going," said the artist. "These venues are iconic, but they are struggling."
Since the start of 2023, more than 150 of these locations have ceased operations – approximately 16 percent of the entire UK sector.
In the last year, top acts including the band Pulp, the group Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Sheeran have all supported the MVT in its initiatives to help venues survive, by adding a small levy to their ticket costs, which benefits smaller concert halls.
He also participated, raising over £100k on his 2024 arena tour to assist 38 small stages across England, Scotland, and Wales.
These funds assisted spaces that were confronting imminent closure due to difficulties stemming from floods, fires and family tragedies, as well as permit problems, conflicts and sound issues.
Other venues received financial assistance in upgrading amenities and sound and lighting systems that helped artists and fans.
"The concept that money from performances in big venues supports the independent spots, where it all starts for performers like me, is just common sense," Sam Fender has stated.
The musician is far from the only musician to donate his Mercury Prize winnings to good deeds.
When Pulp received the award in the year 1996 for their release the album, vocalist the singer announced that the band would donate their winnings to the non-profit War Child.
In 2002, artist Ms Dynamite divided her bounty among a few charities, including the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell charity.
"And I contributed a thousand pounds to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics program, because I trained in gymnastics when I was younger and they required updated gear," the artist told the media.
Two years ago, they donated their funds to the community center that nurtured their act, alongside other local music groups.
And 1994 winners the group contributed their award to a MS organization after a close contact was identified with the illness.
"Receiving the award was sufficient," said vocalist Heather Small. "The prize was the extra but we could do without the extra, because we had the cake. So our success impacted somebody else's life."
Recently, the Music Venues Trust revealed it had saved two grassroots venues in that region, by placing them under public stewardship.
One venue in Southampton and The Croft in that location were bought under the public acquisition program, which is backed by Arts Council England and music fans who buy "ownership units" in the buildings.
