Sam Fender has donated the entirety of his £25k honor prize money to the trust for venues, which works to protect the United Kingdom's independent concert spaces.
He was awarded the prize on October 16 as his third album the album was declared the top album of the last 12 months.
The musician has opted to donate the funds to the Music Venues Trust, in acknowledgment of the essential function grassroots venues had in his beginning days.
"I personally wouldn't be doing my current career if it weren't for all the performances I performed around the North East, and beyond, when I was beginning," remarked Sam Fender. "These locations are renowned, but they are facing challenges."
Beginning in 2023, over 150 of these locations have ceased operations – about 16 percent of the whole industry in the UK.
Over the past year, major artists including Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all backed the MVT in its initiatives to help venues survive, by including a modest fee to their ticket prices, which goes to help local stages.
Sam Fender also participated, generating over £100k on his recent tour to assist 38 small stages across the UK.
These funds assisted locations that were dealing with possible closure due to issues stemming from water damage, fire incidents and bereavements, as well as regulatory hurdles, conflicts and noise complaints.
Other venues received monetary aid in upgrading facilities and gear that helped performers and fans.
"The idea that money from concerts in major spaces backs the smaller venues, where it kicks off for performers like me, is just sensible," the star has stated.
He is not the first artist to donate his Mercury Prize funds to good deeds.
Back when Pulp earned the prize in 1996 for their album Different Class, vocalist Cocker announced that the group would contribute their winnings to the charity War Child.
During 2002, artist Ms Dynamite shared her bounty between several organizations, such as the children's charity and a Sickle Cell organization.
"Additionally, I contributed a £1,000 to the center, to their classes, because I did gymnastics when I was a child and they required new equipment," the artist explained to a publication.
Previously, Ezra Collective contributed their prize money to the youth organization that supported their group, in addition to other independent music bodies.
Additionally 1994 winners M People donated their winnings to a multiple sclerosis charity after a acquaintance was identified with the disease.
"Receiving the award was sufficient," said vocalist the singer. "The cash was the cherry on top but we didn't need the cherry, because we had the honor. So our success affected the lives of others."
In the past week, the Music Venues Trust shared it had protected several local spots in the South East, by transferring them to public stewardship.
The Joiners in that area and the second in the city were purchased under the Own Our Venues program, which is funded by a national body and supporters who purchase "shares" in the venues.
