Sam Fender has donated the entirety of his £25,000 honor winnings to the MVT, which functions to protect the United Kingdom's grassroots music venues.
He was presented with the prize on mid-October as his new release People Watching was chosen as the top album of the past year.
He has chosen to give the cash to the trust, in appreciation of the essential function grassroots venues had in his early career.
"I couldn't be pursuing what I am doing today if it wasn't for all the gigs I played around the North East, and further afield, when I was just getting going," said the artist. "These venues are iconic, but they are struggling."
Beginning in 2023, at least 150 of these locations have shut down – about one-sixth of the entire UK sector.
Over the past year, well-known musicians such as the band Pulp, Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Sheeran have all supported the trust in its efforts to support the industry, by applying a modest fee to their ticket costs, which benefits local stages.
He also took part, generating more than £100,000 on his 2024 arena tour to assist thirty-eight small stages across England, Scotland, and Wales.
The donation supported locations that were dealing with imminent closure due to difficulties caused by floods, fires and personal losses, as well as permit problems, court cases and sound issues.
Other venues were granted monetary aid in upgrading infrastructure and technical equipment that positively impacted performers and concertgoers.
"The concept that funds from performances in big venues backs the smaller venues, where it all starts for performers like me, is just sensible," the star has commented.
He is far from the only musician to contribute his Mercury Prize prize money to worthy causes.
When they earned the trophy in the mid-90s for their release the album, vocalist Cocker announced that the group would donate their cash to the non-profit War Child.
During 2002, rapper and singer the artist shared her prize between several organizations, like the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell organization.
"And I gave a thousand pounds to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics class, because I practiced gymnastics when I was a child and they lacked new equipment," she shared with the media.
Previously, the band gave their prize money to the youth organization that developed their band, in addition to other local music groups.
And 1994 winners they contributed their award to a multiple sclerosis charity after a close contact was found to have the condition.
"The victory was sufficient," said artist the singer. "The money was the cherry on top but we didn't need the extra, because we had the honor. So our victory touched somebody else's life."
Recently, the trust announced it had saved several grassroots venues in the South East, by bringing them into public stewardship.
One venue in Southampton and the second in the city were acquired under the Own Our Venues scheme, which is funded by Arts Council England and music fans who purchase "stakes" in the venues.
