Sam Fender has donated the full amount of his £25k award cash to the Music Venues Trust, which works to protect the United Kingdom's grassroots concert spaces.
He was presented with the cheque on 16 October as his third album his work was chosen as the outstanding release of the previous year.
He has decided to hand the money over to the Music Venues Trust, in appreciation of the essential function small stages had in his initial steps.
"As an artist would not have achieved my current career if it hadn't been for all the performances I did around the region, and elsewhere, when I was beginning," said Fender. "These venues are iconic, but they are in difficulty."
Since the start of 2023, over 150 of these venues have shut down – about one-sixth of the entire UK sector.
Recently, well-known musicians including Pulp, Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all backed the trust in its attempts to support the industry, by applying a small levy to their ticket costs, which benefits independent venues.
Sam Fender also participated, raising more than £100,000 on his recent tour to support numerous local spots across the UK.
These funds helped venues that were confronting imminent closure due to difficulties arising from flooding, fire incidents and family tragedies, as well as regulatory hurdles, court cases and sound issues.
Other venues obtained funding support in modernizing amenities and technical equipment that positively impacted artists and audiences.
"The notion that funds from concerts in major spaces backs the independent spots, where it kicks off for performers like me, is just sensible," the star has said.
The musician is far from the only musician to give his Mercury Prize funds to charitable organizations.
Back when they received the trophy in the year 1996 for their album their work, frontman Cocker announced that the group would donate their winnings to the organization War Child.
During 2002, artist the artist split her bounty between a few organizations, such as the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell organization.
"I also contributed a grand to the center, to their classes, because I trained in gymnastics when I was younger and they needed better apparatus," she shared with a publication.
Two years ago, Ezra Collective gave their winnings to the local youth club that supported their band, as well as other local music groups.
Additionally 1994 winners the group donated their winnings to a charity for MS after a acquaintance was identified with the disease.
"Receiving the award was ample," remarked singer Heather Small. "The money was the extra but we didn't require the extra, because we had the cake. So our winning affected somebody else's life."
Recently, the trust shared it had rescued several small stages in south-east England, by transferring them to local control.
The Joiners in the city and The Croft in that location were acquired under the community ownership program, which is funded by Arts Council England and enthusiasts who acquire "ownership units" in the venues.
