Sam Fender has given the full amount of his £25k award winnings to the trust for venues, which functions to preserve the Britain's independent live music spots.
He was awarded the award on mid-October as his new release People Watching was chosen as the top album of the last 12 months.
Fender has opted to donate the funds to the Music Venues Trust, in acknowledgment of the essential function local spots had in his early career.
"I couldn't be pursuing my current career if it weren't for all the performances I played around the North East, and beyond, when I was starting out," said Sam Fender. "These locations are renowned, but they are in difficulty."
From early 2023 onward, at least 150 of these spaces have shut down – approximately 16 percent of the whole industry in the UK.
Recently, top acts including Pulp, the group Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all supported the MVT in its efforts to support the industry, by adding a minor surcharge to their ticket prices, which goes to help independent venues.
Sam Fender also participated, raising more than £100,000 on his recent tour to help thirty-eight small stages across England, Scotland, and Wales.
The money supported venues that were confronting imminent closure due to difficulties arising from flooding, fire incidents and personal losses, as well as licensing issues, legal disputes and neighbor objections.
Additional spaces obtained financial assistance in upgrading infrastructure and gear that helped artists and audiences.
"The notion that revenue from performances in major spaces backs the local stages, where it all starts for performers like me, is just sensible," Fender has commented.
He is far from the only musician to contribute his award winnings to good deeds.
Back when the band earned the trophy in the year 1996 for their release their work, frontman Jarvis Cocker declared that the group would donate their prize money to the non-profit the charity.
That year, rapper and singer Ms Dynamite shared her award between a few organizations, including the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell organization.
"And I donated a grand to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics class, because I practiced gymnastics when I was growing up and they required updated gear," the artist explained to the media.
Two years ago, the band gave their funds to the community center that nurtured their act, as well as other local music groups.
And 1994 winners they donated their award to a charity for MS after a friend was diagnosed the condition.
"Winning was sufficient," stated vocalist the singer. "The prize was the bonus but we didn't require the cherry, because we had the main prize. So our victory impacted another person's life."
Last week, the MVT shared it had saved two local spots in the South East, by bringing them into local control.
The first in that area and The Croft in that location were acquired under the Own Our Venues scheme, which is backed by the arts council and music fans who buy "shares" in the buildings.
