Sam Fender has donated the full amount of his £25,000 award prize money to the Music Venues Trust, which operates to protect the Britain's independent live music spots.
The star was presented with the prize on October 16 as his latest record his work was chosen as the best record of the previous year.
The musician has decided to donate the funds to the MVT, in recognition of the crucial part grassroots venues fulfilled in his initial steps.
"I wouldn't be doing what I am doing today if it wasn't for all the shows I played around the area, and beyond, when I was just getting going," said the artist. "These venues are legendary, but they are struggling."
From early 2023 onward, at least 150 of these locations have shut down – about one-sixth of the entire UK sector.
Over the past year, well-known musicians like Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Sheeran have all aided the MVT in its efforts to help venues survive, by applying a minor surcharge to their ticket prices, which goes to help smaller concert halls.
Fender also joined in, raising over £100k on his recent tour to assist 38 grassroots venues across England, Scotland, and Wales.
The donation supported spaces that were dealing with imminent closure due to issues stemming from flooding, fire incidents and personal losses, as well as licensing issues, conflicts and neighbor objections.
Additional spaces were granted funding support in modernizing facilities and technical equipment that positively impacted artists and audiences.
"The notion that funds from shows in large arenas supports the independent spots, where it all starts for artists like me, is just sensible," Fender has said.
Fender is far from the only musician to contribute his Mercury Prize prize money to good deeds.
Back when they earned the award in the mid-90s for their release the album, lead singer the singer announced that the act would donate their prize money to the charity War Child.
During 2002, rapper and singer the artist divided her bounty across a few organizations, like the children's charity and a charity for Sickle Cell.
"I also donated a thousand pounds to my local community centre, to their classes, because I did gymnastics when I was a child and they required better apparatus," Ms Dynamite told the media.
In recent years, Ezra Collective contributed their prize money to the community center that supported their group, alongside other grassroots music organisations.
Also the 1994 recipients M People gave their award to a multiple sclerosis charity after a acquaintance was diagnosed the illness.
"The victory was sufficient," remarked vocalist Heather Small. "The cash was the cherry on top but we didn't require the cherry, because we had the honor. So our success impacted another person's life."
In the past week, the trust revealed it had protected a couple of small stages in the South East, by transferring them to public stewardship.
The Joiners in Southampton and the other in that location were acquired under the community ownership scheme, which is backed by Arts Council England and enthusiasts who buy "shares" in the properties.
