Sam Fender has given the complete sum of his £25k honor winnings to the MVT, which functions to save the UK's small concert spaces.
Fender was given the prize on 16 October as his latest record his work was declared the outstanding release of the past year.
Fender has opted to give the cash to the MVT, in recognition of the crucial part small stages had in his initial steps.
"As an artist wouldn't be doing my current career if it weren't for all the performances I performed around the region, and beyond, when I was just getting going," said Fender. "These locations are iconic, but they are facing challenges."
From early 2023 onward, over 150 of these locations have shut down – roughly one-sixth of the entire UK sector.
Over the past year, top acts such as Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all backed the Music Venues Trust in its initiatives to help venues survive, by adding a minor surcharge to their ticket costs, which benefits smaller concert halls.
Sam Fender also took part, collecting over £100k on his recent tour to support thirty-eight grassroots venues across Britain.
The donation assisted venues that were facing imminent closure due to issues stemming from floods, fire incidents and personal losses, as well as regulatory hurdles, conflicts and noise complaints.
Additional spaces obtained funding support in improving infrastructure and technical equipment that helped musicians and audiences.
"The notion that money from performances in large arenas backs the local stages, where it kicks off for artists like me, is just common sense," Fender has stated.
Fender is among several artists to donate his award funds to worthy causes.
Back when Pulp earned the trophy in the year 1996 for their album the album, frontman the singer declared that the group would give their prize money to the charity War Child.
In 2002, artist Ms Dynamite split her award across several charities, including the children's charity and a Sickle Cell organization.
"Additionally, I contributed a thousand pounds to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics program, because I practiced gymnastics when I was a child and they required new equipment," she told outlets.
Previously, they donated their prize money to the community center that nurtured their act, alongside other grassroots music organisations.
Additionally 1994 winners they donated their prize to a charity for MS after a acquaintance was found to have the condition.
"Receiving the award was ample," remarked singer Heather Small. "The money was the cherry on top but we could do without the extra, because we had the main prize. So our victory touched somebody else's life."
Recently, the MVT announced it had rescued two small stages in the South East, by placing them under local control.
One venue in the city and The Croft in Bristol were acquired under the community ownership scheme, which is backed by a national body and music fans who buy "shares" in the venues.
