Sam Fender has given the entirety of his £25k award prize money to the MVT, which operates to save the United Kingdom's independent concert spaces.
He was presented with the cheque on mid-October as his new release People Watching was named the outstanding release of the previous year.
The musician has decided to donate the funds to the trust, in appreciation of the vital role grassroots venues fulfilled in his initial steps.
"I personally would not have achieved this success if it weren't for all the gigs I did around the region, and further afield, when I was just getting going," stated the artist. "These locations are renowned, but they are facing challenges."
Beginning in 2023, over 150 of these spaces have permanently closed – about one-sixth of the total UK scene.
In the last year, major artists including Pulp, the group Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all supported the trust in its initiatives to keep the scene afloat, by including a modest fee to their ticket costs, which goes to help independent venues.
Sam Fender also took part, collecting in excess of £100,000 on his recent tour to assist thirty-eight local spots across Britain.
The money helped locations that were facing imminent closure due to issues caused by water damage, fires and bereavements, as well as licensing issues, court cases and noise complaints.
Other venues obtained funding support in upgrading amenities and sound and lighting systems that directly benefitted musicians and fans.
"The concept that money from shows in big venues backs the local stages, where it all starts for musicians like me, is just logical," the star has commented.
The musician is far from the only musician to donate his Mercury Prize winnings to good deeds.
In they earned the prize in 1996 for their release the album, vocalist Jarvis Cocker announced that the band would contribute their winnings to the charity War Child.
In 2002, rapper and singer the artist shared her award across a few good causes, including the children's charity and a Sickle Cell organization.
"And I contributed a thousand pounds to Highgate Newtown, to their classes, because I practiced gymnastics when I was a child and they lacked new equipment," the artist told the media.
Previously, Ezra Collective contributed their funds to the community center that supported their band, as well as other independent music bodies.
Additionally winners that year M People gave their winnings to a MS organization after a friend was diagnosed the disease.
"Winning was ample," remarked vocalist Small. "The prize was the bonus but we didn't require the bonus, because we had the cake. So our victory impacted another person's life."
In the past week, the trust shared it had rescued several local spots in that region, by transferring them to community ownership.
One venue in Southampton and The Croft in the city were purchased under the community ownership initiative, which is funded by the arts council and supporters who acquire "shares" in the venues.
