Sam Fender has handed over the entirety of his £25k honor prize money to the MVT, which operates to save the Britain's independent concert spaces.
He was awarded the cheque on 16 October as his third album his work was chosen as the best record of the last 12 months.
Fender has decided to donate the funds to the MVT, in appreciation of the crucial part grassroots venues played in his beginning days.
"I couldn't be pursuing my current career if it weren't for all the performances I played around the North East, and further afield, when I was starting out," said Fender. "These venues are iconic, but they are facing challenges."
From early 2023 onward, at least 150 of these locations have shut down – about 16% of the whole industry in the UK.
Over the past year, well-known musicians such as Pulp, Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Sheeran have all supported the trust in its attempts to help venues survive, by including a modest fee to their admission fees, which benefits independent venues.
He also participated, generating over £100k on his 2024 arena tour to assist thirty-eight local spots across the UK.
The money assisted spaces that were dealing with potential shutdown due to difficulties caused by water damage, blazes and personal losses, as well as permit problems, legal disputes and noise complaints.
Other venues received monetary aid in improving infrastructure and sound and lighting systems that helped artists and concertgoers.
"The concept that money from shows in large arenas supports the independent spots, where it begins for musicians like me, is just logical," the star has commented.
He is far from the only musician to contribute his Mercury Prize prize money to charitable organizations.
In the band won the prize in the year 1996 for their record the album, frontman Jarvis Cocker declared that the group would donate their winnings to the non-profit War Child.
During 2002, rapper and singer Ms Dynamite divided her prize across multiple charities, like the children's charity and a charity for Sickle Cell.
"I also donated a thousand pounds to the center, to their gymnastics program, because I practiced gymnastics when I was growing up and they required new equipment," Ms Dynamite explained to a publication.
Two years ago, Ezra Collective gave their winnings to the community center that developed their band, alongside other local music groups.
Also 1994 winners the group gave their award to a charity for MS after a close contact was diagnosed the disease.
"Receiving the award was quite enough," remarked artist Heather Small. "The cash was the cherry on top but we didn't require the bonus, because we had the honor. So our victory touched another person's life."
Recently, the trust revealed it had rescued two grassroots venues in the South East, by transferring them to community ownership.
The first in that area and the second in the city were purchased under the Own Our Venues scheme, which is backed by a national body and supporters who purchase "stakes" in the venues.
