Sam Fender has handed over the full amount of his £25k honor cash to the MVT, which works to protect the UK's small live music spots.
Fender was given the award on mid-October as his third album People Watching was chosen as the top album of the last 12 months.
The musician has decided to give the cash to the trust, in acknowledgment of the crucial part grassroots venues fulfilled in his early career.
"I wouldn't be doing this success if it weren't for all the shows I did around the area, and elsewhere, when I was starting out," said Fender. "These venues are legendary, but they are in difficulty."
Beginning in 2023, more than 150 of these locations have shut down – roughly one-sixth of the entire UK sector.
Over the past year, well-known musicians such as the band Pulp, the group Coldplay, Katy Perry and Sheeran have all backed the trust in its attempts to support the industry, by adding a minor surcharge to their ticket prices, which supports independent venues.
Fender also took part, collecting over £100k on his recent tour to help thirty-eight local spots across England, Scotland, and Wales.
The donation helped spaces that were confronting potential shutdown due to challenges stemming from flooding, blazes and family tragedies, as well as licensing issues, legal disputes and noise complaints.
Additional spaces obtained monetary aid in improving infrastructure and technical equipment that directly benefitted performers and concertgoers.
"The idea that money from performances in big venues helps the independent spots, where it kicks off for musicians like me, is just sensible," Fender has commented.
He is not the first artist to donate his award winnings to good deeds.
Back when they won the prize in the year 1996 for their record the album, frontman the singer stated that the act would give their prize money to the non-profit the charity.
In 2002, musician the artist shared her bounty among multiple good causes, such as the children's charity and a Sickle Cell organization.
"Additionally, I contributed a grand to the center, to their gymnastics class, because I practiced gymnastics when I was younger and they required better apparatus," she shared with a publication.
Previously, Ezra Collective contributed their prize money to the community center that supported their act, in addition to other local music groups.
Additionally the 1994 recipients M People donated their award to a multiple sclerosis charity after a acquaintance was diagnosed the illness.
"Winning was quite enough," said vocalist Small. "The cash was the extra but we could do without the extra, because we had the main prize. So our victory impacted the lives of others."
Last week, the Music Venues Trust announced it had protected a couple of small stages in south-east England, by bringing them into local control.
The Joiners in the city and the other in Bristol were acquired under the public acquisition program, which is backed by Arts Council England and enthusiasts who acquire "ownership units" in the properties.
