Sam Fender has donated the entirety of his £25,000 award cash to the trust for venues, which functions to preserve the United Kingdom's small music venues.
Fender was given the cheque on October 16 as his third album the album was declared the best record of the past year.
Fender has chosen to hand the money over to the trust, in appreciation of the essential function small stages played in his initial steps.
"I personally couldn't be pursuing my current career if it hadn't been for all the gigs I performed around the North East, and further afield, when I was just getting going," said Fender. "These venues are renowned, but they are facing challenges."
Beginning in 2023, over 150 of these locations have shut down – approximately one-sixth of the entire UK sector.
Recently, top acts such as Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all supported the Music Venues Trust in its efforts to keep the scene afloat, by applying a minor surcharge to their ticket prices, which supports smaller concert halls.
Fender also joined in, generating more than £100,000 on his live tour to help numerous small stages across the UK.
These funds supported venues that were dealing with possible closure due to difficulties stemming from flooding, fires and bereavements, as well as permit problems, court cases and neighbor objections.
Additional spaces obtained funding support in modernizing infrastructure and gear that helped artists and concertgoers.
"The notion that funds from shows in large arenas backs the local stages, where it all starts for performers like me, is just logical," Fender has stated.
Fender is not the first artist to donate his award winnings to worthy causes.
In Pulp won the prize in 1996 for their release Different Class, vocalist Jarvis Cocker stated that the group would give their cash to the organization War Child.
In 2002, musician she split her award between several good causes, such as the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell charity.
"And I contributed a thousand pounds to the center, to their gymnastics class, because I trained in gymnastics when I was a child and they lacked updated gear," she told a publication.
Previously, the band donated their prize money to the local youth club that supported their band, alongside other grassroots music organisations.
Also 1994 winners M People contributed their award to a charity for MS after a friend was identified with the disease.
"Winning was ample," remarked vocalist the singer. "The cash was the bonus but we didn't need the extra, because we had the cake. So our victory impacted another person's life."
Recently, the MVT shared it had protected two local spots in that region, by bringing them into public stewardship.
One venue in Southampton and the second in that location were bought under the public acquisition program, which is supported by a national body and music fans who purchase "stakes" in the venues.
