Sam Fender has given the entirety of his twenty-five thousand pound honor cash to the MVT, which works to preserve the UK's small music venues.
He was presented with the award on 16 October as his third album People Watching was chosen as the best record of the last 12 months.
He has chosen to give the cash to the trust, in appreciation of the essential function local spots had in his initial steps.
"As an artist couldn't be pursuing what I am doing today if it hadn't been for all the gigs I performed around the North East, and elsewhere, when I was beginning," stated Sam Fender. "These locations are renowned, but they are struggling."
Since the start of 2023, at least 150 of these venues have permanently closed – about 16 percent of the total UK scene.
Over the past year, top acts like the band Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all backed the trust in its attempts to support the industry, by applying a minor surcharge to their ticket prices, which benefits local stages.
Fender also joined in, raising over £100k on his recent tour to assist 38 small stages across England, Scotland, and Wales.
These funds supported venues that were dealing with imminent closure due to issues arising from floods, fires and family tragedies, as well as permit problems, legal disputes and neighbor objections.
Some locations were granted financial assistance in modernizing infrastructure and technical equipment that helped artists and audiences.
"The idea that funds from shows in large arenas supports the independent spots, where it all starts for performers like me, is just sensible," Fender has said.
He is not the first artist to give his honor winnings to charitable organizations.
Back when the band won the trophy in 1996 for their record the album, lead singer the singer announced that the act would contribute their cash to the non-profit the charity.
During 2002, musician the artist split her bounty across multiple charities, including the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell organization.
"And I gave a thousand pounds to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics class, because I trained in gymnastics when I was younger and they needed better apparatus," Ms Dynamite told outlets.
In recent years, Ezra Collective gave their winnings to the local youth club that nurtured their group, as well as other local music groups.
Also the 1994 recipients they contributed their award to a MS organization after a close contact was found to have the disease.
"Receiving the award was sufficient," remarked vocalist the singer. "The prize was the extra but we didn't need the bonus, because we had the main prize. So our winning impacted another person's life."
Last week, the trust shared it had saved two local spots in south-east England, by bringing them into community ownership.
The Joiners in Southampton and the second in Bristol were acquired under the Own Our Venues program, which is funded by the arts council and enthusiasts who acquire "ownership units" in the buildings.
