Sam Fender has given the full amount of his £25,000 award prize money to the trust for venues, which functions to protect the United Kingdom's small music venues.
Fender was awarded the award on 16 October as his third album his work was declared the outstanding release of the past year.
Fender has decided to donate the funds to the trust, in acknowledgment of the crucial part small stages had in his beginning days.
"I personally would not have achieved this success if it hadn't been for all the shows I did around the area, and elsewhere, when I was starting out," said the artist. "These venues are iconic, but they are struggling."
Beginning in 2023, more than 150 of these venues have shut down – roughly 16 percent of the whole industry in the UK.
In the last year, well-known musicians such as Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all supported the Music Venues Trust in its attempts to keep the scene afloat, by applying a minor surcharge to their ticket prices, which benefits local stages.
Fender also participated, generating more than £100,000 on his recent tour to support numerous local spots across Britain.
The donation helped venues that were confronting imminent closure due to challenges arising from water damage, fires and personal losses, as well as regulatory hurdles, conflicts and noise complaints.
Other venues received monetary aid in improving amenities and technical equipment that helped musicians and audiences.
"The idea that revenue from concerts in large arenas helps the smaller venues, where it kicks off for artists like me, is just sensible," Fender has stated.
He is far from the only musician to donate his Mercury Prize winnings to worthy causes.
Back when Pulp won the prize in the mid-90s for their release their work, vocalist the singer stated that the act would give their prize money to the non-profit the charity.
In 2002, rapper and singer the artist divided her prize among a few charities, including the children's charity and a Sickle Cell organization.
"I also donated a grand to the center, to their classes, because I did gymnastics when I was younger and they needed better apparatus," she told a publication.
In recent years, they donated their funds to the youth organization that supported their group, in addition to other grassroots music organisations.
Also winners that year the group contributed their award to a multiple sclerosis charity after a friend was identified with the condition.
"Receiving the award was sufficient," remarked singer the singer. "The prize was the cherry on top but we didn't require the extra, because we had the cake. So our victory affected another person's life."
Last week, the Music Venues Trust announced it had saved a couple of grassroots venues in that region, by bringing them into community ownership.
The Joiners in Southampton and the second in Bristol were purchased under the Own Our Venues scheme, which is funded by a national body and enthusiasts who acquire "stakes" in the properties.
