Sam Fender has donated the complete sum of his £25k award winnings to the MVT, which functions to save the UK's small music venues.
Fender was awarded the award on mid-October as his latest record his work was declared the outstanding release of the past year.
He has decided to give the cash to the Music Venues Trust, in acknowledgment of the essential function small stages had in his beginning days.
"I would not have achieved what I am doing today if it hadn't been for all the shows I did around the area, and beyond, when I was beginning," said Sam Fender. "These spaces are iconic, but they are struggling."
Since the start of 2023, at least 150 of these locations have permanently closed – roughly one-sixth of the total UK scene.
In the last year, well-known musicians like Pulp, the group Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all supported the trust in its attempts to support the industry, by applying a modest fee to their ticket costs, which goes to help smaller concert halls.
Fender also took part, raising in excess of £100,000 on his live tour to support thirty-eight small stages across Britain.
These funds supported locations that were facing potential shutdown due to issues stemming from flooding, fire incidents and personal losses, as well as regulatory hurdles, court cases and sound issues.
Other venues obtained funding support in modernizing amenities and technical equipment that directly benefitted performers and fans.
"The notion that revenue from performances in big venues helps the smaller venues, where it begins for performers like me, is just logical," the star has commented.
He is not the first artist to donate his Mercury Prize prize money to worthy causes.
Back when they received the award in 1996 for their album Different Class, vocalist the singer announced that the band would donate their cash to the non-profit War Child.
In 2002, musician she shared her bounty across a few good causes, such as the children's charity and a Sickle Cell charity.
"Additionally, I gave a grand to my local community centre, to their classes, because I did gymnastics when I was a child and they required new equipment," she explained to a publication.
Previously, the band gave their winnings to the community center that nurtured their group, in addition to other local music groups.
And the 1994 recipients M People gave their award to a MS organization after a close contact was found to have the disease.
"Winning was sufficient," remarked singer Heather Small. "The prize was the extra but we didn't need the bonus, because we had the honor. So our success impacted another person's life."
In the past week, the trust announced it had protected two local spots in that region, by placing them under community ownership.
The first in that area and The Croft in the city were bought under the public acquisition program, which is funded by Arts Council England and supporters who purchase "shares" in the properties.
