Sam Fender has given the entirety of his twenty-five thousand pound honor cash to the Music Venues Trust, which functions to preserve the UK's small music venues.
The star was presented with the prize on 16 October as his latest record People Watching was declared the top album of the past year.
Fender has decided to give the cash to the MVT, in recognition of the essential function grassroots venues had in his initial steps.
"As an artist wouldn't be doing what I am doing today if it hadn't been for all the performances I performed around the region, and further afield, when I was starting out," said Fender. "These spaces are renowned, but they are struggling."
Since the start of 2023, more than 150 of these locations have shut down – about 16 percent of the whole industry in the UK.
Recently, top acts such as Pulp, the group Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all supported the Music Venues Trust in its efforts to help venues survive, by applying a modest fee to their admission fees, which supports smaller concert halls.
Sam Fender also participated, raising in excess of £100,000 on his recent tour to support thirty-eight grassroots venues across Britain.
The money supported spaces that were dealing with imminent closure due to issues stemming from flooding, fires and bereavements, as well as permit problems, court cases and sound issues.
Other venues were granted funding support in upgrading amenities and gear that positively impacted musicians and concertgoers.
"The concept that money from performances in large arenas supports the independent spots, where it begins for performers like me, is just logical," the star has stated.
The musician is far from the only musician to give his Mercury Prize winnings to worthy causes.
Back when the band received the trophy in 1996 for their record Different Class, vocalist Cocker declared that the group would contribute their winnings to the non-profit War Child.
That year, musician she split her prize among multiple organizations, such as the children's charity and a Sickle Cell organization.
"Additionally, I contributed a grand to the center, to their classes, because I trained in gymnastics when I was younger and they required updated gear," Ms Dynamite told a publication.
Two years ago, Ezra Collective contributed their funds to the youth organization that supported their act, in addition to other local music groups.
And the 1994 recipients they donated their award to a multiple sclerosis charity after a acquaintance was found to have the illness.
"Receiving the award was ample," stated artist the singer. "The prize was the cherry on top but we didn't need the cherry, because we had the honor. So our victory affected somebody else's life."
Recently, the trust revealed it had saved several grassroots venues in that region, by transferring them to community ownership.
The Joiners in that area and The Croft in the city were bought under the public acquisition initiative, which is backed by a national body and music fans who purchase "shares" in the buildings.
