Sam Fender has donated the complete sum of his £25,000 award winnings to the MVT, which functions to protect the UK's independent live music spots.
He was presented with the award on October 16 as his new release his work was declared the top album of the previous year.
Fender has opted to give the cash to the MVT, in appreciation of the essential function grassroots venues fulfilled in his early career.
"I personally wouldn't be doing this success if it weren't for all the gigs I did around the North East, and elsewhere, when I was starting out," stated Sam Fender. "These locations are iconic, but they are in difficulty."
Beginning in 2023, over 150 of these locations have permanently closed – roughly one-sixth of the total UK scene.
Over the past year, top acts including the band Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all backed the trust in its efforts to keep the scene afloat, by including a modest fee to their ticket costs, which goes to help smaller concert halls.
He also joined in, raising in excess of £100,000 on his live tour to support numerous small stages across Britain.
These funds supported spaces that were facing imminent closure due to difficulties caused by water damage, fires and family tragedies, as well as licensing issues, legal disputes and sound issues.
Some locations received financial assistance in modernizing amenities and sound and lighting systems that directly benefitted artists and concertgoers.
"The concept that funds from performances in large arenas supports the local stages, where it kicks off for performers like me, is just common sense," Fender has said.
He is not the first artist to give his Mercury Prize prize money to good deeds.
When Pulp received the award in the mid-90s for their record their work, lead singer Jarvis Cocker declared that the band would contribute their winnings to the organization the charity.
In 2002, artist the artist shared her bounty among multiple charities, such as the NSPCC and a charity for Sickle Cell.
"And I contributed a £1,000 to the center, to their gymnastics class, because I practiced gymnastics when I was a child and they needed new equipment," she told the media.
Two years ago, the band gave their prize money to the local youth club that supported their group, alongside other local music groups.
Additionally the 1994 recipients they contributed their award to a multiple sclerosis charity after a close contact was found to have the condition.
"Winning was ample," remarked vocalist Small. "The money was the cherry on top but we could do without the cherry, because we had the main prize. So our victory affected the lives of others."
In the past week, the Music Venues Trust revealed it had rescued two grassroots venues in that region, by bringing them into public stewardship.
The Joiners in Southampton and The Croft in Bristol were purchased under the Own Our Venues initiative, which is funded by Arts Council England and music fans who buy "shares" in the venues.
