Sam Fender has donated the entirety of his £25,000 honor cash to the MVT, which works to preserve the United Kingdom's small concert spaces.
He was awarded the prize on mid-October as his new release his work was chosen as the outstanding release of the past year.
He has decided to give the cash to the trust, in appreciation of the crucial part grassroots venues played in his early career.
"I couldn't be pursuing my current career if it weren't for all the gigs I performed around the region, and beyond, when I was starting out," said the artist. "These spaces are renowned, but they are in difficulty."
Beginning in 2023, more than 150 of these venues have shut down – about 16% of the total UK scene.
Recently, well-known musicians like Pulp, the group Coldplay, Katy Perry and Sheeran have all supported the Music Venues Trust in its efforts to help venues survive, by applying a small levy to their ticket costs, which supports local stages.
Sam Fender also took part, collecting in excess of £100,000 on his 2024 arena tour to help thirty-eight local spots across England, Scotland, and Wales.
The money assisted venues that were dealing with imminent closure due to challenges caused by flooding, fire incidents and bereavements, as well as permit problems, legal disputes and noise complaints.
Other venues obtained funding support in upgrading facilities and technical equipment that helped performers and fans.
"The notion that revenue from concerts in big venues supports the smaller venues, where it kicks off for artists like me, is just logical," Sam Fender has said.
The musician is not the first artist to donate his Mercury Prize prize money to charitable organizations.
Back when the band won the prize in 1996 for their record the album, vocalist Cocker announced that the band would give their prize money to the organization the charity.
That year, musician she shared her bounty between several charities, like the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell charity.
"Additionally, I gave a grand to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics program, because I trained in gymnastics when I was younger and they required updated gear," the artist told a publication.
Two years ago, the band donated their funds to the youth organization that supported their band, in addition to other grassroots music organisations.
Also 1994 winners the group contributed their award to a multiple sclerosis charity after a acquaintance was diagnosed the condition.
"Winning was sufficient," remarked singer the singer. "The prize was the bonus but we didn't need the cherry, because we had the honor. So our winning affected another person's life."
Recently, the MVT revealed it had protected a couple of local spots in that region, by bringing them into local control.
The Joiners in the city and the other in that location were purchased under the public acquisition scheme, which is funded by Arts Council England and supporters who acquire "ownership units" in the venues.
