Sam Fender has donated the entirety of his £25k award cash to the MVT, which functions to protect the United Kingdom's independent concert spaces.
He was awarded the prize on mid-October as his latest record the album was named the top album of the past year.
He has decided to hand the money over to the trust, in acknowledgment of the crucial part grassroots venues played in his initial steps.
"As an artist couldn't be pursuing my current career if it hadn't been for all the performances I played around the region, and elsewhere, when I was starting out," stated the artist. "These spaces are iconic, but they are facing challenges."
Since the start of 2023, over 150 of these spaces have ceased operations – approximately 16 percent of the whole industry in the UK.
Over the past year, well-known musicians like the band Pulp, the group Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all aided the Music Venues Trust in its attempts to help venues survive, by applying a modest fee to their ticket prices, which supports independent venues.
Sam Fender also joined in, raising more than £100,000 on his live tour to support thirty-eight local spots across the UK.
The donation assisted locations that were confronting possible closure due to challenges caused by water damage, blazes and personal losses, as well as licensing issues, court cases and neighbor objections.
Additional spaces received monetary aid in upgrading facilities and technical equipment that positively impacted artists and fans.
"The notion that money from shows in major spaces backs the independent spots, where it all starts for performers like me, is just logical," the star has said.
He is among several artists to contribute his Mercury Prize funds to good deeds.
Back when they earned the award in the year 1996 for their album their work, lead singer Jarvis Cocker declared that the act would donate their winnings to the charity the charity.
In 2002, musician she shared her award across several charities, such as the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell charity.
"And I donated a thousand pounds to the center, to their classes, because I did gymnastics when I was growing up and they needed updated gear," the artist explained to a publication.
In recent years, Ezra Collective gave their winnings to the local youth club that supported their band, alongside other local music groups.
Also winners that year M People contributed their award to a multiple sclerosis charity after a friend was found to have the disease.
"Receiving the award was ample," remarked singer the singer. "The prize was the extra but we could do without the cherry, because we had the cake. So our winning affected somebody else's life."
Recently, the Music Venues Trust shared it had rescued a couple of local spots in that region, by bringing them into public stewardship.
One venue in Southampton and the second in Bristol were acquired under the public acquisition program, which is funded by the arts council and enthusiasts who buy "shares" in the venues.
