Sam Fender has donated the full amount of his £25k award cash to the Music Venues Trust, which functions to protect the Britain's grassroots music venues.
The star was awarded the cheque on 16 October as his third album his work was declared the top album of the past year.
The musician has chosen to donate the funds to the Music Venues Trust, in appreciation of the vital role small stages had in his beginning days.
"As an artist wouldn't be doing what I am doing today if it wasn't for all the performances I performed around the area, and elsewhere, when I was beginning," remarked the artist. "These spaces are legendary, but they are struggling."
Since the start of 2023, over 150 of these locations have shut down – about one-sixth of the entire UK sector.
Over the past year, top acts including the band Pulp, Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all aided the MVT in its efforts to support the industry, by including a minor surcharge to their ticket prices, which supports independent venues.
Fender also joined in, collecting more than £100,000 on his live tour to help 38 grassroots venues across the UK.
The money helped spaces that were facing possible closure due to challenges arising from floods, fires and family tragedies, as well as regulatory hurdles, conflicts and neighbor objections.
Other venues received funding support in modernizing amenities and technical equipment that positively impacted artists and concertgoers.
"The idea that money from shows in large arenas supports the smaller venues, where it kicks off for performers like me, is just logical," the star has stated.
Fender is among several artists to give his award prize money to worthy causes.
In they received the trophy in the year 1996 for their record Different Class, frontman Jarvis Cocker declared that the act would contribute their cash to the non-profit War Child.
During 2002, musician she shared her award between several good causes, like the NSPCC and a charity for Sickle Cell.
"And I gave a thousand pounds to the center, to their gymnastics program, because I did gymnastics when I was a child and they lacked updated gear," she explained to outlets.
In recent years, the band gave their winnings to the local youth club that nurtured their act, in addition to other independent music bodies.
And 1994 winners the group gave their winnings to a MS organization after a acquaintance was diagnosed the disease.
"Receiving the award was quite enough," stated vocalist Heather Small. "The money was the bonus but we could do without the bonus, because we had the honor. So our victory affected the lives of others."
In the past week, the trust shared it had rescued two grassroots venues in south-east England, by placing them under public stewardship.
The Joiners in that area and the second in Bristol were acquired under the public acquisition scheme, which is supported by the arts council and music fans who acquire "ownership units" in the properties.
