Sam Fender has handed over the full amount of his £25,000 honor prize money to the MVT, which works to preserve the UK's independent concert spaces.
The star was given the cheque on mid-October as his third album People Watching was chosen as the best record of the last 12 months.
He has opted to donate the funds to the trust, in recognition of the essential function grassroots venues fulfilled in his initial steps.
"As an artist wouldn't be doing this success if it weren't for all the gigs I played around the region, and beyond, when I was beginning," said the artist. "These locations are iconic, but they are struggling."
Beginning in 2023, over 150 of these spaces have permanently closed – roughly one-sixth of the whole industry in the UK.
Over the past year, major artists such as Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Sheeran have all backed the trust in its attempts to keep the scene afloat, by adding a small levy to their ticket prices, which goes to help smaller concert halls.
Fender also joined in, raising in excess of £100,000 on his live tour to help thirty-eight local spots across England, Scotland, and Wales.
The donation helped locations that were dealing with possible closure due to challenges caused by flooding, fire incidents and personal losses, as well as regulatory hurdles, legal disputes and neighbor objections.
Some locations obtained financial assistance in modernizing amenities and gear that positively impacted artists and audiences.
"The concept that funds from shows in major spaces helps the independent spots, where it begins for musicians like me, is just sensible," Sam Fender has stated.
Fender is far from the only musician to contribute his award prize money to worthy causes.
When Pulp earned the award in the mid-90s for their release their work, frontman Cocker announced that the band would give their prize money to the non-profit the charity.
In 2002, artist the artist shared her bounty between several charities, such as the NSPCC and a charity for Sickle Cell.
"I also donated a grand to the center, to their gymnastics class, because I practiced gymnastics when I was younger and they needed updated gear," Ms Dynamite explained to the media.
In recent years, Ezra Collective gave their funds to the community center that nurtured their act, alongside other local music groups.
Additionally 1994 winners they gave their prize to a multiple sclerosis charity after a close contact was found to have the disease.
"Winning was sufficient," said vocalist Small. "The money was the cherry on top but we didn't require the bonus, because we had the cake. So our winning affected somebody else's life."
Recently, the MVT revealed it had rescued several local spots in south-east England, by placing them under community ownership.
One venue in that area and the other in Bristol were bought under the community ownership program, which is backed by a national body and music fans who buy "ownership units" in the properties.
