Sam Fender has donated the full amount of his £25k award prize money to the Music Venues Trust, which works to save the Britain's small live music spots.
The star was presented with the prize on 16 October as his latest record the album was chosen as the best record of the previous year.
The musician has opted to hand the money over to the Music Venues Trust, in recognition of the crucial part local spots fulfilled in his initial steps.
"As an artist wouldn't be doing my current career if it hadn't been for all the performances I played around the area, and beyond, when I was just getting going," said the artist. "These spaces are legendary, but they are facing challenges."
Since the start of 2023, more than 150 of these venues have ceased operations – roughly one-sixth of the total UK scene.
Over the past year, well-known musicians like Pulp, Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all aided the trust in its efforts to help venues survive, by applying a small levy to their ticket prices, which goes to help smaller concert halls.
Fender also joined in, collecting over £100k on his 2024 arena tour to support 38 small stages across Britain.
The donation supported locations that were confronting possible closure due to challenges stemming from water damage, fires and family tragedies, as well as permit problems, conflicts and noise complaints.
Some locations obtained financial assistance in upgrading amenities and sound and lighting systems that directly benefitted musicians and audiences.
"The idea that revenue from concerts in major spaces helps the independent spots, where it all starts for musicians like me, is just sensible," the star has commented.
He is far from the only musician to donate his Mercury Prize prize money to worthy causes.
When they won the prize in the year 1996 for their release their work, frontman the singer stated that the band would donate their prize money to the organization the charity.
That year, artist she shared her award among several organizations, like the children's charity and a Sickle Cell charity.
"And I donated a thousand pounds to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics class, because I practiced gymnastics when I was younger and they needed new equipment," the artist shared with a publication.
Previously, the band gave their prize money to the youth organization that nurtured their group, alongside other grassroots music organisations.
And 1994 winners M People donated their winnings to a MS organization after a friend was diagnosed the disease.
"Winning was quite enough," remarked artist Heather Small. "The money was the cherry on top but we didn't need the cherry, because we had the cake. So our victory affected somebody else's life."
Last week, the Music Venues Trust announced it had protected a couple of grassroots venues in south-east England, by transferring them to local control.
One venue in Southampton and the other in that location were acquired under the public acquisition initiative, which is funded by the arts council and music fans who acquire "shares" in the venues.
