Sam Fender has given the entirety of his £25k honor prize money to the trust for venues, which operates to save the UK's independent concert spaces.
The star was presented with the award on October 16 as his new release People Watching was chosen as the outstanding release of the past year.
Fender has chosen to give the cash to the trust, in recognition of the essential function local spots played in his initial steps.
"As an artist would not have achieved what I am doing today if it hadn't been for all the gigs I played around the North East, and further afield, when I was beginning," said Sam Fender. "These spaces are legendary, but they are struggling."
Since the start of 2023, more than 150 of these venues have permanently closed – roughly one-sixth of the entire UK sector.
In the last year, major artists such as Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all supported the trust in its efforts to support the industry, by including a minor surcharge to their ticket prices, which goes to help independent venues.
Fender also participated, generating more than £100,000 on his live tour to support numerous grassroots venues across Britain.
The donation supported venues that were facing possible closure due to challenges arising from floods, blazes and personal losses, as well as regulatory hurdles, court cases and neighbor objections.
Other venues obtained financial assistance in upgrading amenities and technical equipment that positively impacted performers and fans.
"The concept that revenue from shows in major spaces backs the local stages, where it kicks off for musicians like me, is just sensible," Fender has commented.
He is far from the only musician to donate his Mercury Prize winnings to good deeds.
When the band won the trophy in the mid-90s for their record the album, lead singer Jarvis Cocker announced that the act would donate their prize money to the charity War Child.
During 2002, artist the artist divided her bounty among multiple charities, like the children's charity and a Sickle Cell organization.
"And I contributed a £1,000 to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics class, because I trained in gymnastics when I was a child and they lacked better apparatus," she explained to the media.
Previously, Ezra Collective contributed their winnings to the youth organization that supported their group, alongside other independent music bodies.
Also 1994 winners they contributed their award to a charity for MS after a acquaintance was diagnosed the disease.
"The victory was sufficient," remarked vocalist Small. "The cash was the extra but we could do without the bonus, because we had the main prize. So our success affected the lives of others."
Recently, the trust announced it had rescued several local spots in the South East, by transferring them to local control.
The Joiners in Southampton and the second in the city were acquired under the public acquisition scheme, which is supported by the arts council and music fans who purchase "shares" in the properties.