Sam Fender has donated the full amount of his twenty-five thousand pound honor cash to the MVT, which works to protect the UK's independent live music spots.
The star was awarded the cheque on October 16 as his new release his work was chosen as the top album of the last 12 months.
The musician has chosen to donate the funds to the Music Venues Trust, in recognition of the crucial part local spots played in his beginning days.
"I personally wouldn't be doing my current career if it wasn't for all the performances I performed around the area, and beyond, when I was starting out," stated the artist. "These venues are legendary, but they are struggling."
Since the start of 2023, more than 150 of these locations have ceased operations – roughly 16% of the whole industry in the UK.
Recently, top acts like the band Pulp, the group Coldplay, Katy Perry and Sheeran have all supported the MVT in its attempts to help venues survive, by adding a small levy to their admission fees, which supports independent venues.
Fender also participated, generating more than £100,000 on his 2024 arena tour to help thirty-eight small stages across the UK.
The money helped locations that were facing possible closure due to difficulties arising from flooding, fire incidents and family tragedies, as well as regulatory hurdles, conflicts and noise complaints.
Other venues were granted funding support in improving amenities and gear that directly benefitted performers and fans.
"The idea that funds from shows in major spaces helps the local stages, where it kicks off for musicians like me, is just logical," Fender has stated.
The musician is far from the only musician to contribute his Mercury Prize winnings to charitable organizations.
In the band received the award in 1996 for their album their work, lead singer Jarvis Cocker declared that the group would donate their winnings to the organization War Child.
That year, artist she shared her award between several organizations, including the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell organization.
"Additionally, I donated a thousand pounds to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics class, because I did gymnastics when I was growing up and they required new equipment," she shared with a publication.
Previously, they donated their prize money to the youth organization that nurtured their group, alongside other grassroots music organisations.
Additionally winners that year M People donated their winnings to a multiple sclerosis charity after a close contact was identified with the condition.
"Winning was ample," remarked artist the singer. "The cash was the bonus but we didn't need the cherry, because we had the cake. So our winning impacted somebody else's life."
Last week, the MVT announced it had protected two local spots in that region, by transferring them to local control.
The Joiners in Southampton and The Croft in the city were purchased under the public acquisition initiative, which is supported by a national body and music fans who buy "shares" in the properties.
