The artist has given the complete sum of his twenty-five thousand pound honor cash to the trust for venues, which functions to preserve the United Kingdom's grassroots concert spaces.
Fender was presented with the award on October 16 as his new release People Watching was chosen as the outstanding release of the last 12 months.
Fender has opted to donate the funds to the trust, in appreciation of the vital role local spots fulfilled in his initial steps.
"I personally couldn't be pursuing my current career if it wasn't for all the shows I did around the region, and elsewhere, when I was just getting going," stated the artist. "These locations are legendary, but they are struggling."
Beginning in 2023, over 150 of these locations have ceased operations – approximately 16% of the whole industry in the UK.
Over the past year, major artists such as Pulp, Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all aided the Music Venues Trust in its attempts to support the industry, by including a minor surcharge to their admission fees, which supports local stages.
He also participated, generating over £100k on his recent tour to assist numerous local spots across Britain.
The money supported venues that were facing possible closure due to difficulties arising from flooding, fires and family tragedies, as well as permit problems, conflicts and sound issues.
Some locations obtained funding support in improving amenities and sound and lighting systems that positively impacted artists and concertgoers.
"The concept that funds from shows in large arenas helps the local stages, where it begins for musicians like me, is just common sense," Fender has commented.
Fender is among several artists to give his Mercury Prize funds to worthy causes.
When Pulp earned the award in the year 1996 for their release their work, vocalist Jarvis Cocker declared that the band would donate their winnings to the organization War Child.
That year, rapper and singer she split her bounty across multiple organizations, such as the NSPCC and a charity for Sickle Cell.
"Additionally, I gave a grand to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics class, because I did gymnastics when I was younger and they required better apparatus," the artist told outlets.
In recent years, Ezra Collective contributed their winnings to the local youth club that supported their band, as well as other local music groups.
Additionally winners that year they contributed their award to a MS organization after a friend was identified with the condition.
"Winning was quite enough," stated artist the singer. "The cash was the extra but we could do without the extra, because we had the honor. So our victory touched somebody else's life."
Last week, the trust announced it had protected several grassroots venues in that region, by bringing them into community ownership.
One venue in the city and the other in Bristol were purchased under the Own Our Venues program, which is backed by the arts council and enthusiasts who purchase "stakes" in the properties.
