Sam Fender has donated the full amount of his twenty-five thousand pound Mercury Prize cash to the Music Venues Trust, which works to protect the UK's independent music venues.
Fender was awarded the award on 16 October as his third album People Watching was named the best record of the past year.
He has decided to give the cash to the MVT, in appreciation of the essential function local spots had in his beginning days.
"As an artist wouldn't be doing my current career if it wasn't for all the performances I performed around the North East, and beyond, when I was starting out," stated Fender. "These spaces are legendary, but they are facing challenges."
From early 2023 onward, at least 150 of these venues have ceased operations – roughly one-sixth of the total UK scene.
In the last year, top acts such as Pulp, the group Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Sheeran have all aided the trust in its efforts to support the industry, by applying a modest fee to their ticket costs, which benefits local stages.
Fender also took part, collecting over £100k on his live tour to support numerous grassroots venues across Britain.
The money assisted spaces that were facing possible closure due to issues arising from water damage, blazes and bereavements, as well as permit problems, legal disputes and noise complaints.
Other venues obtained monetary aid in improving facilities and sound and lighting systems that directly benefitted musicians and concertgoers.
"The concept that revenue from concerts in large arenas helps the independent spots, where it kicks off for artists like me, is just sensible," Sam Fender has commented.
The musician is far from the only musician to give his honor prize money to charitable organizations.
When Pulp earned the award in 1996 for their release the album, lead singer Cocker announced that the act would donate their cash to the organization War Child.
In 2002, artist Ms Dynamite shared her bounty across a few organizations, including the children's charity and a Sickle Cell organization.
"I also donated a grand to the center, to their classes, because I trained in gymnastics when I was growing up and they needed better apparatus," she shared with the media.
Two years ago, they contributed their funds to the community center that developed their act, alongside other grassroots music organisations.
And 1994 winners the group donated their prize to a charity for MS after a acquaintance was identified with the illness.
"Receiving the award was quite enough," said singer Heather Small. "The prize was the cherry on top but we didn't require the extra, because we had the honor. So our victory affected another person's life."
Last week, the MVT revealed it had protected two small stages in the South East, by transferring them to public stewardship.
One venue in that area and the other in Bristol were acquired under the Own Our Venues initiative, which is supported by Arts Council England and music fans who acquire "stakes" in the venues.
