Sam Fender has handed over the entirety of his £25k award cash to the trust for venues, which functions to protect the Britain's independent live music spots.
The star was given the prize on 16 October as his new release the album was declared the top album of the past year.
He has opted to hand the money over to the Music Venues Trust, in appreciation of the vital role local spots played in his beginning days.
"As an artist wouldn't be doing my current career if it wasn't for all the performances I played around the area, and beyond, when I was beginning," remarked the artist. "These spaces are renowned, but they are in difficulty."
From early 2023 onward, more than 150 of these venues have ceased operations – approximately one-sixth of the whole industry in the UK.
In the last year, top acts such as Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all aided the trust in its initiatives to support the industry, by including a small levy to their ticket prices, which goes to help local stages.
Fender also took part, raising over £100k on his recent tour to assist thirty-eight small stages across England, Scotland, and Wales.
These funds supported venues that were facing imminent closure due to issues caused by flooding, fire incidents and bereavements, as well as licensing issues, conflicts and noise complaints.
Some locations obtained monetary aid in improving infrastructure and gear that positively impacted musicians and audiences.
"The notion that revenue from concerts in large arenas supports the smaller venues, where it all starts for artists like me, is just logical," Fender has commented.
Fender is not the first artist to donate his honor funds to worthy causes.
Back when they earned the prize in the year 1996 for their release Different Class, lead singer the singer declared that the act would give their prize money to the charity War Child.
That year, artist the artist split her award among multiple organizations, like 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 younger and they needed new equipment," she shared with the media.
Previously, the band contributed their winnings to the community center that supported their group, in addition to other independent music bodies.
Also 1994 winners the group contributed their award to a MS organization after a acquaintance was diagnosed the illness.
"Winning was sufficient," stated artist Small. "The cash was the extra but we could do without the cherry, because we had the main prize. So our success impacted another person's life."
Recently, the MVT shared it had saved a couple of grassroots venues in the South East, by bringing them into public stewardship.
The first in that area and The Croft in that location were bought under the community ownership scheme, which is supported by Arts Council England and music fans who buy "stakes" in the properties.
