Sam Fender has given the full amount of his £25k honor prize money to the Music Venues Trust, which functions to protect the Britain's grassroots live music spots.
Fender was presented with the award on October 16 as his latest record the album was named the top album of the previous year.
Fender has chosen to hand the money over to the Music Venues Trust, in appreciation of the essential function grassroots venues had in his early career.
"As an artist would not have achieved this success if it weren't for all the shows I did around the area, and elsewhere, when I was just getting going," said Fender. "These spaces are renowned, but they are in difficulty."
Since the start of 2023, over 150 of these spaces have shut down – about 16% of the total UK scene.
In the last year, major artists such as Pulp, Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all backed the MVT in its efforts to help venues survive, by including a modest fee to their ticket prices, which benefits independent venues.
Sam Fender also joined in, generating more than £100,000 on his 2024 arena tour to help numerous small stages across Britain.
The money supported venues that were confronting imminent closure due to difficulties arising from water damage, fire incidents and family tragedies, as well as licensing issues, conflicts and neighbor objections.
Other venues were granted monetary aid in upgrading amenities and technical equipment that directly benefitted performers and fans.
"The concept that money from performances in major spaces helps the independent spots, where it begins for musicians like me, is just sensible," Fender has said.
Fender is among several artists to give his Mercury Prize prize money to good deeds.
When Pulp received the award in the mid-90s for their release Different Class, frontman the singer announced that the band would give their cash to the organization the charity.
That year, rapper and singer the artist shared her prize among multiple good causes, such as the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell charity.
"And I donated a £1,000 to the center, to their gymnastics class, because I practiced gymnastics when I was younger and they needed new equipment," Ms Dynamite explained to a publication.
Two years ago, the band contributed their funds to the youth organization that supported their group, in addition to other independent music bodies.
Also winners that year they contributed their award to a MS organization after a close contact was diagnosed the illness.
"The victory was ample," said singer Heather Small. "The money was the cherry on top but we could do without the extra, because we had the honor. So our winning impacted the lives of others."
In the past week, the trust announced it had protected two grassroots venues in south-east England, by transferring them to public stewardship.
The first in Southampton and the other in Bristol were acquired under the Own Our Venues program, which is funded by a national body and supporters who acquire "shares" in the venues.
