Sam Fender has given the entirety of his £25k award prize money to the Music Venues Trust, which functions to save the Britain's small music venues.
He was presented with the cheque on 16 October as his latest record his work was declared the best record of the previous year.
Fender has opted to donate the funds to the MVT, in acknowledgment of the crucial part grassroots venues had in his initial steps.
"As an artist would not have achieved my current career if it hadn't been for all the gigs I performed around the North East, and further afield, when I was beginning," remarked Fender. "These venues are renowned, but they are in difficulty."
Since the start of 2023, more than 150 of these venues have shut down – approximately one-sixth of the entire UK sector.
Recently, major artists such as Pulp, Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Sheeran have all aided the Music Venues Trust in its attempts to keep the scene afloat, by applying a minor surcharge to their ticket costs, which supports smaller concert halls.
Fender also joined in, raising more than £100,000 on his recent tour to assist 38 small stages across Britain.
The money supported locations that were dealing with potential shutdown due to issues arising from floods, fires and personal losses, as well as permit problems, court cases and neighbor objections.
Additional spaces obtained funding support in modernizing infrastructure and technical equipment that directly benefitted artists and concertgoers.
"The notion that revenue from performances in big venues supports the independent spots, where it all starts for musicians like me, is just sensible," Fender has said.
He is among several artists to contribute his Mercury Prize winnings to worthy causes.
Back when the band won the trophy in the mid-90s for their release Different Class, lead singer the singer stated that the group would donate their cash to the non-profit the charity.
That year, musician the artist shared her bounty between multiple charities, such as the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell organization.
"And I gave a thousand pounds to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics program, because I trained in gymnastics when I was younger and they needed better apparatus," the artist explained to a publication.
Two years ago, they contributed their winnings to the local youth club that supported their act, as well as other local music groups.
And winners that year M People gave their prize to a MS organization after a close contact was identified with the condition.
"Winning was ample," said vocalist Heather Small. "The money was the cherry on top but we didn't require the cherry, because we had the main prize. So our success affected somebody else's life."
Recently, the MVT announced it had saved two small stages in that region, by transferring them to local control.
The first in the city and The Croft in Bristol were acquired under the community ownership initiative, which is funded by Arts Council England and supporters who purchase "shares" in the properties.
