Sam Fender has given the complete sum of his £25,000 award prize money to the MVT, which works to preserve the United Kingdom's independent music venues.
Fender was awarded the cheque on 16 October as his latest record his work was chosen as the best record of the past year.
Fender has chosen to give the cash to the trust, in recognition of the vital role local spots had in his early career.
"I couldn't be pursuing my current career if it wasn't for all the gigs I did around the region, and beyond, when I was beginning," said the artist. "These venues are legendary, but they are in difficulty."
Beginning in 2023, more than 150 of these spaces have ceased operations – about one-sixth of the total UK scene.
Over the past year, well-known musicians including Pulp, the group Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all backed the Music Venues Trust in its attempts to support the industry, by including a small levy to their ticket prices, which goes to help independent venues.
He also joined in, raising in excess of £100,000 on his live tour to assist numerous grassroots venues across England, Scotland, and Wales.
The donation supported spaces that were facing imminent closure due to challenges caused by water damage, fire incidents and personal losses, as well as permit problems, legal disputes and noise complaints.
Other venues were granted financial assistance in modernizing facilities and gear that helped performers and fans.
"The idea that money from shows in major spaces helps the local stages, where it kicks off for musicians like me, is just logical," the star has commented.
Fender is far from the only musician to give his honor prize money to worthy causes.
In Pulp won the award in 1996 for their album the album, lead singer the singer declared that the band would donate their cash to the non-profit War Child.
That year, artist she shared her bounty between several charities, including the children's charity and a Sickle Cell charity.
"Additionally, I gave a thousand pounds to my local community centre, to their gymnastics class, because I did gymnastics when I was younger and they lacked better apparatus," she shared with the media.
In recent years, Ezra Collective contributed their winnings to the local youth club that developed their group, in addition to other local music groups.
Also winners that year M People gave their award to a multiple sclerosis charity after a acquaintance was diagnosed the condition.
"The victory was quite enough," said singer Heather Small. "The cash was the extra but we didn't need the extra, because we had the main prize. So our success impacted the lives of others."
Recently, the MVT revealed it had rescued a couple of small stages in south-east England, by transferring them to local control.
One venue in Southampton and the other in the city were acquired under the community ownership program, which is backed by the arts council and music fans who acquire "ownership units" in the venues.
