Sam Fender has given the complete sum of his twenty-five thousand pound honor cash to the trust for venues, which operates to protect the UK's independent music venues.
The star was given the cheque on 16 October as his latest record his work was declared the outstanding release of the past year.
The musician has chosen to hand the money over to the Music Venues Trust, in recognition of the essential function local spots played in his initial steps.
"I personally couldn't be pursuing my current career if it wasn't for all the shows I played around the region, and further afield, when I was starting out," stated Fender. "These venues are legendary, but they are struggling."
Beginning in 2023, more than 150 of these venues have shut down – approximately 16% of the entire UK sector.
Recently, top acts like Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all backed the MVT in its initiatives to help venues survive, by including a minor surcharge to their ticket prices, which benefits independent venues.
Sam Fender also joined in, collecting in excess of £100,000 on his 2024 arena tour to assist numerous local spots across the UK.
The money helped venues that were facing potential shutdown due to issues caused by flooding, fires and family tragedies, as well as licensing issues, conflicts and sound issues.
Some locations were granted financial assistance in modernizing infrastructure and gear that directly benefitted musicians and concertgoers.
"The idea that funds from shows in large arenas backs the local stages, where it all starts for performers like me, is just common sense," the star has commented.
Fender is far from the only musician to give his Mercury Prize prize money to charitable organizations.
In the band earned the trophy in the mid-90s for their album the album, frontman Cocker declared that the band would donate their prize money to the non-profit War Child.
During 2002, artist she split her award across a few organizations, like the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell organization.
"I also donated a £1,000 to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics class, because I did gymnastics when I was younger and they required better apparatus," Ms Dynamite told outlets.
Previously, they contributed their prize money to the local youth club that nurtured their band, alongside other local music groups.
Also 1994 winners M People donated their winnings to a charity for MS after a close contact was identified with the illness.
"Receiving the award was sufficient," said vocalist the singer. "The prize was the extra but we didn't need the extra, because we had the main prize. So our winning affected the lives of others."
Recently, the MVT shared it had rescued two grassroots venues in the South East, by bringing them into local control.
The Joiners in Southampton and the other in the city were bought under the public acquisition initiative, which is supported by the arts council and enthusiasts who purchase "shares" in the buildings.
