Sam Fender has donated the entirety of his £25,000 award prize money to the MVT, which functions to save the United Kingdom's small music venues.
Fender was awarded the award on mid-October as his latest record People Watching was named the best record of the last 12 months.
Fender has decided to give the cash to the MVT, in appreciation of the vital role local spots played in his initial steps.
"I couldn't be pursuing what I am doing today if it wasn't for all the shows I performed around the North East, and further afield, when I was beginning," stated the artist. "These locations are legendary, but they are in difficulty."
Beginning in 2023, at least 150 of these spaces have permanently closed – about 16 percent of the entire UK sector.
Recently, well-known musicians including 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 costs, which benefits smaller concert halls.
He also took part, raising over £100k on his 2024 arena tour to assist thirty-eight grassroots venues across England, Scotland, and Wales.
These funds assisted locations that were confronting imminent closure due to difficulties arising from floods, fires and family tragedies, as well as regulatory hurdles, conflicts and noise complaints.
Some locations obtained financial assistance in improving facilities and sound and lighting systems that directly benefitted performers and audiences.
"The notion that funds from concerts in big venues backs the smaller venues, where it all starts for artists like me, is just logical," Sam Fender has commented.
The musician is among several artists to donate his honor winnings to charitable organizations.
When Pulp won the trophy in the year 1996 for their album the album, vocalist the singer declared that the group would give their winnings to the non-profit War Child.
That year, artist she shared her prize between a few good causes, such as the NSPCC and a charity for Sickle Cell.
"Additionally, I donated a grand to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics class, because I did gymnastics when I was growing up and they lacked new equipment," Ms Dynamite explained to outlets.
Two years ago, Ezra Collective contributed their prize money to the local youth club that developed their act, as well as other independent music bodies.
Additionally winners that year the group donated their award to a multiple sclerosis charity after a acquaintance was found to have the illness.
"The victory was sufficient," stated vocalist Heather Small. "The cash was the cherry on top but we could do without the cherry, because we had the honor. So our winning impacted somebody else's life."
In the past week, the MVT shared it had protected a couple of small stages in the South East, by transferring them to community ownership.
One venue in Southampton and the second in that location were acquired under the community ownership program, which is backed by the arts council and enthusiasts who acquire "ownership units" in the properties.
