Sam Fender has handed over the entirety of his twenty-five thousand pound award winnings to the Music Venues Trust, which functions to protect the Britain's independent music venues.
The star was given the cheque on 16 October as his latest record the album was declared the top album of the last 12 months.
The musician has decided to donate the funds to the MVT, in recognition of the crucial part small stages played in his early career.
"As an artist would not have achieved this success if it hadn't been for all the performances I played around the area, and elsewhere, when I was just getting going," remarked Sam Fender. "These spaces are legendary, but they are struggling."
Since the start of 2023, at least 150 of these spaces have permanently closed – approximately 16% of the entire UK sector.
In the last year, major artists such as Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Sheeran have all aided the MVT in its initiatives to support the industry, by including a small levy to their ticket prices, which benefits smaller concert halls.
He also participated, raising in excess of £100,000 on his recent tour to help thirty-eight grassroots venues across England, Scotland, and Wales.
The money assisted locations that were dealing with potential shutdown due to difficulties caused by water damage, fires and personal losses, as well as licensing issues, legal disputes and noise complaints.
Additional spaces obtained financial assistance in upgrading facilities and gear that positively impacted artists and fans.
"The idea that revenue from concerts in major spaces supports the local stages, where it kicks off for artists like me, is just common sense," Fender has said.
The musician is far from the only musician to contribute his Mercury Prize winnings to charitable organizations.
In they earned the award in the year 1996 for their record Different Class, lead singer Cocker announced that the act would donate their winnings to the charity War Child.
In 2002, rapper and singer the artist divided her prize between a few organizations, like the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell organization.
"Additionally, I donated a £1,000 to the center, to their classes, because I did gymnastics when I was growing up and they needed better apparatus," the artist told a publication.
Previously, the band contributed their prize money to the community center that developed their group, alongside other local music groups.
Additionally the 1994 recipients M People contributed their prize to a charity for MS after a friend was identified with the illness.
"The victory was ample," stated artist the singer. "The cash was the extra but we didn't need the cherry, because we had the honor. So our victory impacted somebody else's life."
Last week, the Music Venues Trust announced it had protected several local spots in that region, by placing them under public stewardship.
The first in that area and the other in the city were bought under the community ownership program, which is supported by a national body and supporters who purchase "ownership units" in the buildings.
