Sam Fender has given the full amount of his £25k award cash to the MVT, which works to preserve the Britain's grassroots concert spaces.
Fender was given the award on 16 October as his third album People Watching was chosen as the top album of the past year.
He has chosen to hand the money over to the MVT, in acknowledgment of the vital role local spots had in his early career.
"As an artist couldn't be pursuing my current career if it hadn't been for all the performances I played around the North East, and further afield, when I was just getting going," remarked Sam Fender. "These venues are iconic, but they are in difficulty."
From early 2023 onward, more than 150 of these locations have ceased operations – about 16% of the entire UK sector.
Recently, top acts such as Pulp, Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all backed the trust in its initiatives to help venues survive, by adding a minor surcharge to their ticket prices, which goes to help smaller concert halls.
Fender also joined in, generating in excess of £100,000 on his 2024 arena tour to assist numerous local spots across Britain.
The money helped venues that were confronting imminent closure due to difficulties caused by water damage, fire incidents and bereavements, as well as permit problems, conflicts and sound issues.
Additional spaces obtained funding support in improving infrastructure and sound and lighting systems that directly benefitted artists and fans.
"The idea that money from shows in big venues supports the independent spots, where it begins for performers like me, is just logical," Sam Fender has commented.
Fender is far from the only musician to contribute his Mercury Prize winnings to charitable organizations.
When Pulp earned the trophy in the year 1996 for their album Different Class, vocalist the singer announced that the band would contribute their winnings to the organization War Child.
In 2002, artist the artist divided her prize across multiple organizations, including the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell organization.
"And I donated a £1,000 to the center, to their gymnastics class, because I did gymnastics when I was younger and they lacked new equipment," the artist explained to a publication.
Two years ago, the band donated their funds to the community center that developed their group, alongside other local music groups.
Additionally 1994 winners M People donated their award to a MS organization after a acquaintance was identified with the condition.
"Receiving the award was sufficient," remarked vocalist Heather Small. "The money was the bonus but we didn't need the cherry, because we had the cake. So our winning touched another person's life."
Recently, the trust announced it had protected a couple of grassroots venues in the South East, by placing them under public stewardship.
The first in the city and the other in Bristol were purchased under the public acquisition program, which is backed by the arts council and supporters who purchase "stakes" in the properties.
