Sam Fender has handed over the full amount of his £25k award prize money to the MVT, which functions to save the UK's independent live music spots.
The star was presented with the cheque on 16 October as his new release his work was chosen as the best record of the previous year.
He has chosen to hand the money over to the MVT, in acknowledgment of the vital role grassroots venues fulfilled in his initial steps.
"As an artist would not have achieved what I am doing today if it wasn't for all the shows I performed around the region, and further afield, when I was starting out," stated Fender. "These locations are iconic, but they are struggling."
From early 2023 onward, at least 150 of these spaces have shut down – approximately one-sixth of the total UK scene.
In the last year, well-known musicians like the band Pulp, the group Coldplay, Katy Perry and Sheeran have all aided the Music Venues Trust in its initiatives to keep the scene afloat, by applying a small levy to their admission fees, which benefits independent venues.
Sam Fender also joined in, generating more than £100,000 on his 2024 arena tour to support numerous small stages across Britain.
The donation helped venues that were facing possible closure due to difficulties arising from floods, blazes and bereavements, as well as permit problems, conflicts and noise complaints.
Additional spaces received monetary aid in modernizing facilities and gear that positively impacted performers and fans.
"The notion that money from shows in major spaces backs the smaller venues, where it begins for musicians like me, is just common sense," the star has stated.
The musician is far from the only musician to give his honor prize money to good deeds.
When they earned the prize in 1996 for their record their work, lead singer Jarvis Cocker declared that the group would contribute their cash to the organization War Child.
During 2002, rapper and singer the artist divided her prize among several charities, including the children's charity and a Sickle Cell charity.
"Additionally, I contributed a £1,000 to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics program, because I trained in gymnastics when I was growing up and they needed new equipment," the artist shared with a publication.
In recent years, the band donated their funds to the community center that nurtured their group, alongside other independent music bodies.
Also winners that year they contributed their award to a MS organization after a close contact was identified with the disease.
"The victory was quite enough," said artist Heather Small. "The prize was the extra but we didn't require the cherry, because we had the cake. So our winning affected somebody else's life."
Last week, the MVT announced it had saved two grassroots venues in that region, by bringing them into local control.
The Joiners in the city and the second in Bristol were bought under the community ownership program, which is backed by a national body and music fans who acquire "ownership units" in the venues.
