Sam Fender has given the entirety of his £25k award cash to the Music Venues Trust, which operates to protect the Britain's small concert spaces.
Fender was awarded the award on October 16 as his new release the album was declared the best record of the last 12 months.
Fender has opted to donate the funds to the Music Venues Trust, in appreciation of the essential function small stages had in his early career.
"As an artist couldn't be pursuing this success if it wasn't for all the gigs I did around the area, and further afield, when I was beginning," remarked Sam Fender. "These venues are renowned, but they are facing challenges."
From early 2023 onward, more than 150 of these spaces have permanently closed – roughly one-sixth of the entire UK sector.
In the last year, top acts such as Pulp, the group Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all backed the MVT in its initiatives to help venues survive, by adding a modest fee to their ticket prices, which benefits smaller concert halls.
Fender also participated, raising more than £100,000 on his live tour to assist numerous small stages across England, Scotland, and Wales.
The money helped locations that were dealing with potential shutdown due to difficulties stemming from water damage, blazes and family tragedies, as well as permit problems, court cases and neighbor objections.
Other venues were granted funding support in improving infrastructure and technical equipment that positively impacted musicians and fans.
"The concept that funds from shows in big venues supports the independent spots, where it kicks off for artists like me, is just sensible," Sam Fender has commented.
The musician is among several artists to contribute his Mercury Prize winnings to charitable organizations.
When the band earned the prize in the year 1996 for their album Different Class, vocalist the singer stated that the act would donate their prize money to the non-profit War Child.
During 2002, musician the artist divided her prize across several good causes, such as the NSPCC and a charity for Sickle Cell.
"I also contributed a grand to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics program, because I did gymnastics when I was a child and they lacked better apparatus," Ms Dynamite shared with outlets.
Two years ago, they contributed their prize money to the community center that nurtured their band, in addition to other independent music bodies.
And 1994 winners M People contributed their prize to a charity for MS after a close contact was diagnosed the disease.
"Receiving the award was sufficient," stated singer Small. "The money was the extra but we didn't require the extra, because we had the main prize. So our success touched another person's life."
Last week, the trust announced it had saved several local spots in south-east England, by bringing them into community ownership.
The first in that area and The Croft in the city were purchased under the Own Our Venues scheme, which is funded by a national body and music fans who acquire "stakes" in the venues.
