Sam Fender has donated the complete sum of his £25k award winnings to the Music Venues Trust, which functions to preserve the Britain's small concert spaces.
The star was awarded the prize on October 16 as his latest record his work was named the best record of the previous year.
He has decided to donate the funds to the Music Venues Trust, in recognition of the vital role local spots played in his beginning days.
"I wouldn't be doing my current career if it hadn't been for all the shows I did around the area, and further afield, when I was starting out," said Fender. "These spaces are legendary, but they are struggling."
Since the start of 2023, more than 150 of these spaces have shut down – about 16 percent of the total UK scene.
Recently, top acts including the band Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Sheeran have all aided the trust in its attempts to keep the scene afloat, by applying a minor surcharge to their ticket costs, which goes to help local stages.
Fender also took part, raising in excess of £100,000 on his recent tour to support numerous local spots across the UK.
The money supported locations that were confronting possible closure due to challenges caused by flooding, fires and bereavements, as well as permit problems, court cases and noise complaints.
Additional spaces received funding support in upgrading facilities and technical equipment that helped musicians and concertgoers.
"The notion that revenue from shows in big venues supports the independent spots, where it kicks off for musicians like me, is just common sense," Sam Fender has stated.
He is among several artists to give his Mercury Prize winnings to charitable organizations.
Back when Pulp earned the trophy in the year 1996 for their release the album, frontman Jarvis Cocker announced that the act would contribute their prize money to the non-profit War Child.
That year, artist she shared her bounty between multiple organizations, such as the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell organization.
"And I gave a £1,000 to the center, to their classes, because I did gymnastics when I was younger and they needed updated gear," she told a publication.
Two years ago, they gave their funds to the community center that supported their group, in addition to other local music groups.
Additionally winners that year they contributed their prize to a multiple sclerosis charity after a close contact was diagnosed the condition.
"Receiving the award was sufficient," stated vocalist Small. "The prize was the extra but we didn't need the cherry, because we had the cake. So our winning affected somebody else's life."
Last week, the Music Venues Trust shared it had saved two local spots in south-east England, by transferring them to community ownership.
The Joiners in Southampton and the other in that location were purchased under the Own Our Venues scheme, which is funded by Arts Council England and supporters who buy "stakes" in the venues.
