Sam Fender has given the full amount of his £25k honor winnings to the MVT, which functions to save the UK's grassroots music venues.
Fender was awarded the prize on 16 October as his latest record People Watching was chosen as the outstanding release of the last 12 months.
He has chosen to give the cash to the trust, in acknowledgment of the essential function local spots had in his initial steps.
"I personally couldn't be pursuing this success if it wasn't for all the gigs I performed around the region, and further afield, when I was starting out," stated the artist. "These spaces are iconic, but they are facing challenges."
Since the start of 2023, more than 150 of these spaces have ceased operations – approximately 16 percent of the total UK scene.
Recently, top acts like Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all backed the MVT in its attempts to support the industry, by applying a small levy to their admission fees, which goes to help smaller concert halls.
Sam Fender also joined in, collecting over £100k on his live tour to help thirty-eight small stages across England, Scotland, and Wales.
The donation assisted spaces that were confronting possible closure due to issues arising from flooding, fire incidents and family tragedies, as well as regulatory hurdles, conflicts and noise complaints.
Additional spaces were granted financial assistance in improving infrastructure and gear that directly benefitted artists and audiences.
"The idea that revenue from shows in major spaces helps the independent spots, where it begins for artists like me, is just logical," the star has commented.
Fender is far from the only musician to give his Mercury Prize winnings to good deeds.
In the band earned the prize in 1996 for their record the album, lead singer the singer announced that the act would donate their cash to the charity the charity.
During 2002, artist she divided her bounty between a few organizations, like the children's charity and a Sickle Cell charity.
"And I contributed a thousand pounds to my local community centre, to their gymnastics class, because I practiced gymnastics when I was younger and they required new equipment," the artist shared with a publication.
Two years ago, they donated their funds to the local youth club that supported their act, as well as other local music groups.
Additionally winners that year they donated their prize to a multiple sclerosis charity after a close contact was identified with the disease.
"The victory was quite enough," said artist Small. "The money was the bonus but we could do without the extra, because we had the cake. So our winning impacted somebody else's life."
In the past week, the trust shared it had protected several local spots in that region, by placing them under community ownership.
The Joiners in that area and the other in Bristol were acquired under the Own Our Venues initiative, which is supported by Arts Council England and enthusiasts who buy "stakes" in the properties.
