Sam Fender has handed over the full amount of his £25,000 award cash to the trust for venues, which functions to save the UK's small music venues.
The star was awarded the award on October 16 as his new release the album was declared the outstanding release of the last 12 months.
He has chosen to give the cash to the Music Venues Trust, in appreciation of the vital role small stages had in his initial steps.
"I couldn't be pursuing my current career if it hadn't been for all the performances I did around the area, and elsewhere, when I was starting out," said the artist. "These locations are iconic, but they are struggling."
From early 2023 onward, more than 150 of these spaces have permanently closed – approximately one-sixth of the entire UK sector.
Recently, well-known musicians such as the band Pulp, the group Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all backed the trust in its initiatives to help venues survive, by including a minor surcharge to their admission fees, which supports local stages.
He also joined in, raising more than £100,000 on his recent tour to assist 38 local spots across Britain.
These funds helped locations that were dealing with potential shutdown due to difficulties stemming from flooding, blazes and personal losses, as well as permit problems, court cases and neighbor objections.
Other venues received financial assistance in upgrading facilities and gear that directly benefitted performers and concertgoers.
"The concept that money from performances in big venues helps the local stages, where it kicks off for performers like me, is just sensible," the star has stated.
He is far from the only musician to contribute his Mercury Prize funds to worthy causes.
In the band won the award in the year 1996 for their release the album, lead singer the singer declared that the group would contribute their cash to the charity War Child.
In 2002, artist Ms Dynamite split her award between several good causes, including the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell charity.
"And I donated a £1,000 to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics class, because I trained in gymnastics when I was younger and they required updated gear," she shared with a publication.
Previously, Ezra Collective donated their funds to the local youth club that developed their group, as well as other independent music bodies.
Additionally 1994 winners the group donated their award to a charity for MS after a close contact was diagnosed the disease.
"Winning was quite enough," said artist Heather Small. "The money was the bonus but we didn't require the bonus, because we had the honor. So our victory impacted somebody else's life."
In the past week, the MVT shared it had protected two local spots in south-east England, by transferring them to local control.
The Joiners in the city and The Croft in the city were bought under the Own Our Venues scheme, which is funded by Arts Council England and enthusiasts who buy "shares" in the venues.
