Sam Fender has handed over the entirety of his £25,000 award prize money to the Music Venues Trust, which functions to protect the UK's independent concert spaces.
Fender was awarded the cheque on October 16 as his new release the album was named the top album of the last 12 months.
Fender has opted to give the cash to the MVT, in acknowledgment of the essential function local spots played in his beginning days.
"I wouldn't be doing what I am doing today if it wasn't for all the gigs I performed around the area, and beyond, when I was beginning," remarked the artist. "These spaces are renowned, but they are struggling."
Beginning in 2023, over 150 of these locations have ceased operations – about 16% of the entire UK sector.
In the last year, top acts like Pulp, the group Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all backed the trust in its attempts to help venues survive, by including a modest fee to their ticket prices, which goes to help local stages.
Fender also participated, generating in excess of £100,000 on his recent tour to support 38 small stages across Britain.
These funds supported venues that were facing possible closure due to difficulties arising from flooding, blazes and family tragedies, as well as permit problems, court cases and sound issues.
Some locations were granted monetary aid in modernizing facilities and sound and lighting systems that helped musicians and concertgoers.
"The notion that revenue from concerts in major spaces backs the local stages, where it begins for artists like me, is just common sense," Sam Fender has said.
Fender is far from the only musician to give his Mercury Prize winnings to worthy causes.
In they received the prize in 1996 for their release their work, lead singer Cocker announced that the act would donate their cash to the non-profit the charity.
During 2002, musician the artist divided her prize across a few organizations, such as the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell charity.
"I also contributed a £1,000 to Highgate Newtown, to their classes, because I practiced gymnastics when I was a child and they required new equipment," Ms Dynamite explained to outlets.
In recent years, they contributed their winnings to the youth organization that supported their group, as well as other local music groups.
Also the 1994 recipients they donated their award to a MS organization after a friend was found to have the illness.
"Winning was ample," remarked singer the singer. "The money was the bonus but we didn't require the extra, because we had the main prize. So our victory affected somebody else's life."
Last week, the Music Venues Trust revealed it had protected several local spots in the South East, by placing them under community ownership.
The first in Southampton and The Croft in that location were bought under the community ownership program, which is backed by a national body and music fans who buy "stakes" in the buildings.
