Sam Fender has donated the complete sum of his £25,000 Mercury Prize cash to the Music Venues Trust, which functions to preserve the UK's grassroots music venues.
Fender was given the prize on 16 October as his third album the album was chosen as the top album of the previous year.
Fender has decided to hand the money over to the Music Venues Trust, in recognition of the crucial part small stages had in his early career.
"I personally wouldn't be doing this success if it hadn't been for all the performances I performed around the area, and further afield, when I was starting out," said Sam Fender. "These locations are iconic, but they are in difficulty."
From early 2023 onward, at least 150 of these locations have shut down – approximately 16 percent of the entire UK sector.
In the last year, major artists such as Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all supported the Music Venues Trust in its efforts to help venues survive, by adding a modest fee to their admission fees, which goes to help local stages.
He also joined in, generating more than £100,000 on his 2024 arena tour to help 38 local spots across England, Scotland, and Wales.
These funds supported venues that were confronting imminent closure due to difficulties caused by floods, fire incidents and family tragedies, as well as regulatory hurdles, legal disputes and sound issues.
Other venues received financial assistance in upgrading infrastructure and sound and lighting systems that positively impacted musicians and concertgoers.
"The idea that funds from performances in big venues helps the independent spots, where it all starts for musicians like me, is just common sense," Sam Fender has said.
The musician is among several artists to donate his Mercury Prize winnings to good deeds.
When Pulp won the award in the year 1996 for their album Different Class, vocalist the singer stated that the group would give their prize money to the non-profit War Child.
In 2002, musician Ms Dynamite shared her prize across several charities, like the NSPCC and a charity for Sickle Cell.
"I also gave a grand to my local community centre, to their gymnastics program, because I trained in gymnastics when I was younger and they needed updated gear," the artist shared with a publication.
Two years ago, the band contributed their funds to the youth organization that supported their act, as well as other independent music bodies.
And 1994 winners the group contributed their winnings to a MS organization after a acquaintance was diagnosed the illness.
"Winning was sufficient," said vocalist Heather Small. "The cash was the bonus but we didn't require the cherry, because we had the cake. So our winning touched another person's life."
Recently, the MVT announced it had rescued a couple of local spots in south-east England, by transferring them to public stewardship.
One venue in the city and The Croft in that location were acquired under the Own Our Venues program, which is supported by Arts Council England and supporters who acquire "shares" in the venues.
