Sam Fender has given the full amount of his £25,000 award prize money to the MVT, which functions to save the UK's independent concert spaces.
He was awarded the prize on 16 October as his latest record the album was named the top album of the past year.
Fender has chosen to give the cash to the Music Venues Trust, in recognition of the crucial part small stages fulfilled in his early career.
"I would not have achieved what I am doing today if it weren't for all the shows I performed around the region, and elsewhere, when I was beginning," remarked Sam Fender. "These spaces are legendary, but they are in difficulty."
Since the start of 2023, at least 150 of these spaces have shut down – roughly 16% of the entire UK sector.
Recently, major artists including Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all supported the Music Venues Trust in its initiatives to support the industry, by adding a small levy to their admission fees, which benefits local stages.
He also joined in, raising over £100k on his 2024 arena tour to help numerous local spots across the UK.
The money assisted locations that were facing imminent closure due to issues arising from flooding, fires and family tragedies, as well as licensing issues, legal disputes and neighbor objections.
Other venues received monetary aid in improving infrastructure and technical equipment that positively impacted musicians and fans.
"The notion that funds from concerts in major spaces backs the smaller venues, where it all starts for performers like me, is just logical," Fender has said.
He is among several artists to donate his award winnings to charitable organizations.
Back when the band earned the trophy in 1996 for their album the album, lead singer the singer stated that the act would donate their cash to the organization War Child.
During 2002, artist the artist split her bounty across multiple organizations, such as the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell organization.
"Additionally, I donated a grand to the center, to their gymnastics program, because I trained in gymnastics when I was growing up and they lacked updated gear," Ms Dynamite told the media.
Previously, Ezra Collective gave their winnings to the youth organization that developed their act, in addition to other independent music bodies.
And winners that year the group contributed their prize to a MS organization after a acquaintance was diagnosed the disease.
"Receiving the award was sufficient," remarked singer the singer. "The prize was the extra but we didn't need the bonus, because we had the honor. So our victory touched somebody else's life."
Recently, the Music Venues Trust shared it had rescued a couple of small stages in that region, by bringing them into community ownership.
One venue in that area and the second in that location were acquired under the community ownership scheme, which is funded by Arts Council England and enthusiasts who purchase "stakes" in the venues.
