Sam Fender has handed over the entirety of his £25,000 award prize money to the MVT, which functions to save the Britain's small music venues.
The star was presented with the prize on October 16 as his latest record his work was declared the top album of the past year.
He has opted to give the cash to the MVT, in acknowledgment of the crucial part local spots played in his initial steps.
"I personally couldn't be pursuing my current career if it wasn't for all the performances I played around the area, and elsewhere, when I was just getting going," stated Sam Fender. "These spaces are legendary, but they are in difficulty."
Since the start of 2023, over 150 of these spaces have shut down – roughly one-sixth of the entire UK sector.
Recently, well-known musicians such as the band Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Sheeran have all aided the Music Venues Trust in its efforts to support the industry, by adding a minor surcharge to their ticket prices, which supports independent venues.
Fender also took part, raising over £100k on his 2024 arena tour to help numerous small stages across Britain.
These funds helped locations that were facing possible closure due to issues caused by floods, fire incidents and bereavements, as well as permit problems, court cases and noise complaints.
Additional spaces were granted financial assistance in improving amenities and sound and lighting systems that positively impacted artists and fans.
"The concept that funds from performances in big venues supports the independent spots, where it all starts for musicians like me, is just logical," the star has said.
The musician is not the first artist to give his honor prize money to worthy causes.
When they won the prize in the mid-90s for their release the album, frontman Jarvis Cocker announced that the act would donate their winnings to the charity War Child.
That year, musician Ms Dynamite split her bounty across several charities, such as the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell charity.
"And I gave a £1,000 to Highgate Newtown, to their classes, because I trained in gymnastics when I was growing up and they lacked better apparatus," Ms Dynamite shared with outlets.
Two years ago, Ezra Collective gave their prize money to the local youth club that supported their band, as well as other grassroots music organisations.
Additionally the 1994 recipients they gave their winnings to a charity for MS after a acquaintance was diagnosed the condition.
"Winning was ample," said singer Small. "The prize was the extra but we didn't need the extra, because we had the main prize. So our winning impacted the lives of others."
Recently, the MVT revealed it had saved two grassroots venues in that region, by bringing them into public stewardship.
The first in Southampton and The Croft in Bristol were purchased under the community ownership scheme, which is funded by a national body and supporters who buy "stakes" in the properties.
