Sam Fender has handed over the complete sum of his £25k award cash to the Music Venues Trust, which operates to protect the UK's grassroots concert spaces.
The star was awarded the award on 16 October as his third album his work was chosen as the best record of the past year.
Fender has opted to hand the money over to the Music Venues Trust, in appreciation of the vital role small stages played in his early career.
"I would not have achieved what I am doing today if it weren't for all the gigs I played around the North East, and further afield, when I was beginning," said the artist. "These venues are renowned, but they are facing challenges."
Since the start of 2023, more than 150 of these venues have ceased operations – approximately one-sixth of the total UK scene.
Recently, top acts such as Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Sheeran have all supported the Music Venues Trust in its attempts to support the industry, by applying a minor surcharge to their ticket prices, which goes to help smaller concert halls.
Sam Fender also joined in, collecting over £100k on his recent tour to assist 38 grassroots venues across the UK.
The money helped spaces that were confronting potential shutdown due to challenges arising from floods, fires and bereavements, as well as permit problems, conflicts and neighbor objections.
Additional spaces obtained financial assistance in upgrading amenities and gear that helped musicians and concertgoers.
"The idea that funds from performances in big venues backs the local stages, where it begins for musicians like me, is just common sense," Sam Fender has said.
He is not the first artist to donate his Mercury Prize winnings to good deeds.
In Pulp received the prize in the mid-90s for their album Different Class, frontman the singer declared that the band would give their prize money to the charity the charity.
In 2002, artist she divided her bounty across multiple good causes, such as the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell organization.
"I also donated a thousand pounds to the center, to their gymnastics program, because I did gymnastics when I was a child and they required new equipment," Ms Dynamite explained to the media.
In recent years, they gave their funds to the local youth club that supported their band, alongside other independent music bodies.
And winners that year the group contributed their winnings to a charity for MS after a close contact was identified with the condition.
"The victory was ample," remarked vocalist Heather Small. "The cash was the bonus but we didn't require the cherry, because we had the cake. So our success affected another person's life."
Last week, the Music Venues Trust shared it had saved a couple of small stages in the South East, by bringing them into community ownership.
The first in the city and The Croft in that location were purchased under the Own Our Venues program, which is supported by Arts Council England and enthusiasts who buy "ownership units" in the venues.
