Sam Fender has donated the full amount of his £25,000 honor winnings to the MVT, which works to preserve the United Kingdom's grassroots live music spots.
The star was awarded the award on mid-October as his third album the album was chosen as the top album of the previous year.
Fender has chosen to donate the funds to the trust, in recognition of the vital role grassroots venues played in his early career.
"I personally wouldn't be doing my current career if it hadn't been for all the gigs I performed around the region, and further afield, when I was just getting going," said Fender. "These venues are legendary, but they are struggling."
Beginning in 2023, more than 150 of these venues have ceased operations – approximately 16 percent of the whole industry in the UK.
In the last year, top acts such as Pulp, the group Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all aided the trust in its attempts to help venues survive, by applying a minor surcharge to their ticket costs, which goes to help smaller concert halls.
He also participated, raising in excess of £100,000 on his recent tour to support numerous small stages across the UK.
The donation supported spaces that were dealing with imminent closure due to difficulties caused by flooding, blazes and bereavements, as well as permit problems, court cases and sound issues.
Other venues were granted funding support in improving facilities and technical equipment that positively impacted musicians and audiences.
"The idea that funds from shows in major spaces helps the independent spots, where it all starts for performers like me, is just logical," the star has stated.
Fender is among several artists to give his honor winnings to worthy causes.
When the band earned the trophy in the mid-90s for their release their work, lead singer Cocker stated that the act would give their prize money to the non-profit War Child.
During 2002, musician she split her bounty between multiple charities, including the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell organization.
"I also contributed a thousand pounds to my local community centre, to their classes, because I trained in gymnastics when I was growing up and they lacked updated gear," she shared with outlets.
Previously, Ezra Collective gave their funds to the community center that nurtured their band, in addition to other independent music bodies.
And the 1994 recipients the group gave their winnings to a multiple sclerosis charity after a friend was diagnosed the condition.
"Winning was quite enough," remarked singer Heather Small. "The money was the bonus but we didn't require the cherry, because we had the main prize. So our winning impacted another person's life."
Recently, the MVT revealed it had protected a couple of small stages in south-east England, by bringing them into local control.
The Joiners in Southampton and the other in the city were bought under the Own Our Venues initiative, which is supported by a national body and enthusiasts who purchase "ownership units" in the buildings.
