Sam Fender has given the full amount of his £25,000 honor prize money to the MVT, which operates to preserve the United Kingdom's independent music venues.
Fender was awarded the cheque on 16 October as his latest record People Watching was declared the outstanding release of the last 12 months.
Fender has opted to hand the money over to the Music Venues Trust, in recognition of the vital role local spots played in his beginning days.
"As an artist couldn't be pursuing my current career if it hadn't been for all the performances I played around the region, and elsewhere, when I was just getting going," said the artist. "These locations are legendary, but they are struggling."
From early 2023 onward, over 150 of these spaces have ceased operations – roughly 16 percent of the entire UK sector.
Over the past year, well-known musicians including Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all aided the MVT in its initiatives to help venues survive, by adding a minor surcharge to their ticket prices, which goes to help local stages.
He also participated, generating over £100k on his recent tour to help thirty-eight grassroots venues across England, Scotland, and Wales.
The donation supported spaces that were confronting possible closure due to issues stemming from floods, fires and family tragedies, as well as licensing issues, court cases and noise complaints.
Other venues received monetary aid in improving facilities and sound and lighting systems that positively impacted artists and fans.
"The notion that revenue from concerts in big venues helps the smaller venues, where it begins for performers like me, is just sensible," Fender has said.
The musician is not the first artist to give his honor funds to worthy causes.
Back when they earned the trophy in 1996 for their album the album, lead singer the singer stated that the act would give their prize money to the charity War Child.
In 2002, artist Ms Dynamite shared her bounty among a few organizations, like the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell organization.
"And I gave a £1,000 to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics class, because I did gymnastics when I was a child and they required updated gear," she shared with outlets.
Two years ago, Ezra Collective donated their prize money to the local youth club that supported their group, as well as other independent music bodies.
And 1994 winners they donated their award to a MS organization after a close contact was found to have the condition.
"Receiving the award was sufficient," said singer Small. "The cash was the bonus but we could do without the bonus, because we had the honor. So our winning affected the lives of others."
Last week, the trust announced it had rescued several grassroots venues in that region, by bringing them into local control.
One venue in Southampton and the other in that location were bought under the public acquisition initiative, which is funded by a national body and music fans who buy "shares" in the properties.
