Sam Fender has donated the full amount of his £25,000 honor winnings to the Music Venues Trust, which operates to preserve the Britain's small live music spots.
Fender was given the award on October 16 as his latest record his work was declared the outstanding release of the previous year.
The musician has opted to donate the funds to the Music Venues Trust, in recognition of the essential function small stages had in his initial steps.
"As an artist wouldn't be doing this success if it hadn't been for all the gigs I did around the North East, and beyond, when I was beginning," remarked the artist. "These locations are renowned, but they are facing challenges."
Beginning in 2023, more than 150 of these locations have shut down – roughly 16 percent of the whole industry in the UK.
Over the past year, major artists like Pulp, the group Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Sheeran have all aided the Music Venues Trust in its efforts to help venues survive, by applying a minor surcharge to their ticket prices, which supports smaller concert halls.
Fender also joined in, collecting more than £100,000 on his 2024 arena tour to support 38 small stages across the UK.
The money supported venues that were facing imminent closure due to difficulties stemming from flooding, fire incidents and family tragedies, as well as licensing issues, conflicts and sound issues.
Additional spaces were granted funding support in improving amenities and technical equipment that positively impacted artists and concertgoers.
"The concept that money from performances in large arenas supports the local stages, where it all starts for musicians like me, is just logical," Fender has said.
Fender is far from the only musician to donate his Mercury Prize funds to good deeds.
When Pulp received the award in the mid-90s for their release the album, lead singer Cocker declared that the band would donate their winnings to the non-profit the charity.
That year, musician Ms Dynamite divided her bounty across multiple good causes, such as the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell organization.
"I also contributed a grand to my local community centre, to their classes, because I did gymnastics when I was a child and they needed new equipment," Ms Dynamite told the media.
Two years ago, the band donated their funds to the community center that supported their group, in addition to other grassroots music organisations.
Additionally the 1994 recipients they gave their award to a charity for MS after a close contact was identified with the disease.
"The victory was ample," stated artist Heather Small. "The prize was the extra but we could do without the extra, because we had the honor. So our success touched the lives of others."
Recently, the Music Venues Trust announced it had saved two small stages in that region, by placing them under community ownership.
The Joiners in Southampton and The Croft in Bristol were acquired under the community ownership scheme, which is backed by Arts Council England and music fans who acquire "shares" in the venues.
