Sam Fender has handed over the complete sum of his £25,000 award winnings to the MVT, which functions to preserve the United Kingdom's small music venues.
Fender was given the prize on 16 October as his new release People Watching was chosen as the top album of the previous year.
He has decided to hand the money over to the trust, in acknowledgment of the crucial part grassroots venues had in his beginning days.
"I personally wouldn't be doing my current career if it weren't for all the performances I did around the region, and beyond, when I was beginning," said Sam Fender. "These locations are legendary, but they are in difficulty."
From early 2023 onward, more than 150 of these spaces have shut down – about one-sixth of the total UK scene.
In the last year, top acts like the band Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Sheeran have all supported the MVT in its initiatives to help venues survive, by applying a small levy to their ticket prices, which goes to help smaller concert halls.
Sam Fender also took part, generating over £100k on his live tour to support 38 grassroots venues across the UK.
The money supported locations that were dealing with potential shutdown due to challenges arising from flooding, fires and bereavements, as well as licensing issues, court cases and sound issues.
Some locations were granted funding support in modernizing facilities and technical equipment that positively impacted performers and fans.
"The idea that money from concerts in major spaces helps the independent spots, where it kicks off for musicians like me, is just common sense," the star has commented.
Fender is not the first artist to donate his honor funds to good deeds.
When they earned the award in the mid-90s for their album their work, frontman Jarvis Cocker announced that the group would donate their cash to the charity the charity.
In 2002, musician the artist split her award among a few organizations, including the NSPCC and a charity for Sickle Cell.
"And I donated a £1,000 to my local community centre, to their classes, because I did gymnastics when I was growing up and they needed new equipment," Ms Dynamite shared with a publication.
Two years ago, they gave their funds to the youth organization that developed their act, in addition to other grassroots music organisations.
Also winners that year M People gave their winnings to a charity for MS after a acquaintance was found to have the illness.
"Receiving the award was quite enough," said singer Heather Small. "The prize was the cherry on top but we didn't require the cherry, because we had the cake. So our victory touched somebody else's life."
In the past week, the trust announced it had saved two grassroots venues in that region, by transferring them to public stewardship.
The Joiners in Southampton and The Croft in that location were purchased under the Own Our Venues initiative, which is funded by the arts council and music fans who buy "shares" in the venues.
