Sam Fender has donated the full amount of his £25,000 honor winnings to the trust for venues, which operates to preserve the Britain's grassroots concert spaces.
Fender was given the cheque on October 16 as his new release the album was chosen as the outstanding release of the previous year.
Fender has opted to hand the money over to the trust, in appreciation of the vital role grassroots venues fulfilled in his beginning days.
"As an artist couldn't be pursuing what I am doing today if it wasn't for all the performances I did around the North East, and further afield, when I was beginning," said the artist. "These locations are legendary, but they are facing challenges."
From early 2023 onward, over 150 of these venues have shut down – roughly 16% of the total UK scene.
Over the past year, major artists like Pulp, Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all supported the MVT in its attempts to help venues survive, by adding a small levy to their ticket costs, which supports local stages.
Sam Fender also participated, collecting over £100k on his 2024 arena tour to support 38 local spots across England, Scotland, and Wales.
These funds assisted spaces that were dealing with potential shutdown due to issues caused by water damage, blazes and bereavements, as well as permit problems, conflicts and sound issues.
Other venues were granted financial assistance in upgrading infrastructure and gear that directly benefitted artists and fans.
"The concept that revenue from performances in big venues backs the independent spots, where it all starts for performers like me, is just logical," Sam Fender has stated.
Fender is among several artists to give his Mercury Prize prize money to good deeds.
Back when the band earned the trophy in 1996 for their release Different Class, frontman Cocker announced that the band would donate their prize money to the non-profit War Child.
In 2002, rapper and singer Ms Dynamite split her award between several charities, such as the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell charity.
"I also donated a £1,000 to my local community centre, to their gymnastics class, because I trained in gymnastics when I was growing up and they lacked new equipment," the artist told a publication.
Previously, Ezra Collective gave their funds to the youth organization that nurtured their band, in addition to other independent music bodies.
Additionally 1994 winners they gave their award to a multiple sclerosis charity after a acquaintance was identified with the illness.
"Winning was quite enough," said vocalist the singer. "The prize was the cherry on top but we didn't require the bonus, because we had the honor. So our success impacted somebody else's life."
Last week, the Music Venues Trust announced it had saved several local spots in south-east England, by transferring them to local control.
The first in that area and the other in Bristol were purchased under the Own Our Venues initiative, which is funded by Arts Council England and enthusiasts who buy "ownership units" in the buildings.
