Sam Fender has donated the complete sum of his £25k award prize money to the trust for venues, which operates to protect the Britain's grassroots concert spaces.
The star was presented with the cheque on 16 October as his latest record his work was declared the outstanding release of the last 12 months.
Fender has decided to give the cash to the trust, in acknowledgment of the essential function small stages fulfilled in his beginning days.
"I personally couldn't be pursuing this success if it wasn't for all the shows I played around the area, and elsewhere, when I was starting out," remarked the artist. "These locations are legendary, but they are facing challenges."
From early 2023 onward, at least 150 of these locations have permanently closed – about one-sixth of the entire UK sector.
In the last year, top acts such as the band Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all supported the Music Venues Trust in its initiatives to help venues survive, by including a minor surcharge to their admission fees, which goes to help independent venues.
He also joined in, raising more than £100,000 on his 2024 arena tour to assist 38 local spots across the UK.
The donation supported spaces that were dealing with possible closure due to issues arising from flooding, fire incidents and bereavements, as well as regulatory hurdles, legal disputes and sound issues.
Some locations obtained financial assistance in improving facilities and gear that directly benefitted artists and audiences.
"The idea that funds from performances in major spaces helps the independent spots, where it begins for performers like me, is just common sense," Sam Fender has stated.
The musician is far from the only musician to contribute his Mercury Prize funds to worthy causes.
In they received the trophy in the mid-90s for their record their work, vocalist Cocker declared that the band would contribute their winnings to the non-profit War Child.
In 2002, rapper and singer Ms Dynamite divided her prize between multiple good causes, such as the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell charity.
"And I donated a grand to my local community centre, to their classes, because I practiced gymnastics when I was younger and they required new equipment," Ms Dynamite told a publication.
Two years ago, the band gave their winnings to the community center that nurtured their group, as well as other grassroots music organisations.
And 1994 winners they donated their prize to a charity for MS after a acquaintance was found to have the disease.
"Winning was sufficient," stated artist Heather Small. "The cash was the extra but we didn't require the bonus, because we had the main prize. So our success affected somebody else's life."
Last week, the Music Venues Trust announced it had saved two small stages in that region, by bringing them into local control.
The Joiners in Southampton and the other in Bristol were purchased under the Own Our Venues program, which is backed by Arts Council England and music fans who purchase "ownership units" in the buildings.
