Sam Fender has donated the full amount of his £25,000 honor cash to the MVT, which functions to protect the United Kingdom's grassroots concert spaces.
He was given the prize on 16 October as his new release the album was declared the outstanding release of the previous year.
Fender has opted to give the cash to the MVT, in acknowledgment of the vital role small stages had in his beginning days.
"As an artist wouldn't be doing my current career if it wasn't for all the gigs I performed around the North East, and elsewhere, when I was starting out," stated Fender. "These locations are iconic, but they are in difficulty."
From early 2023 onward, at least 150 of these locations have shut down – roughly 16% of the total UK scene.
In the last year, major artists including the band Pulp, the group Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all backed the trust in its attempts to support the industry, by including a small levy to their admission fees, which supports smaller concert halls.
Fender also joined in, generating more than £100,000 on his 2024 arena tour to support 38 local spots across the UK.
The money helped venues that were dealing with possible closure due to difficulties stemming from flooding, blazes and bereavements, as well as permit problems, court cases and sound issues.
Some locations obtained funding support in upgrading facilities and technical equipment that directly benefitted musicians and concertgoers.
"The idea that funds from shows in major spaces supports the smaller venues, where it all starts for performers like me, is just sensible," Sam Fender has stated.
The musician is not the first artist to donate his honor prize money to good deeds.
When they received the prize in the mid-90s for their release the album, frontman Jarvis Cocker announced that the band would give their winnings to the non-profit the charity.
That year, musician she shared her bounty across a few good causes, such as the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell charity.
"Additionally, I gave a grand to the center, to their gymnastics class, because I practiced gymnastics when I was growing up and they lacked better apparatus," the artist told outlets.
Two years ago, Ezra Collective contributed their winnings to the local youth club that nurtured their band, as well as other independent music bodies.
Additionally 1994 winners the group gave their winnings to a charity for MS after a friend was diagnosed the illness.
"Winning was quite enough," remarked vocalist Heather Small. "The money was the cherry on top but we could do without the bonus, because we had the honor. So our victory impacted the lives of others."
Recently, the Music Venues Trust shared it had rescued a couple of small stages in the South East, by transferring them to community ownership.
One venue in Southampton and The Croft in Bristol were purchased under the community ownership initiative, which is supported by Arts Council England and enthusiasts who acquire "shares" in the properties.
