Sam Fender has donated the complete sum of his twenty-five thousand pound award cash to the MVT, which operates to save the UK's independent live music spots.
He was awarded the prize on 16 October as his new release the album was declared the outstanding release of the last 12 months.
He has opted to give the cash to the MVT, in appreciation of the vital role grassroots venues played in his initial steps.
"I personally couldn't be pursuing what I am doing today if it hadn't been for all the performances I played around the area, and elsewhere, when I was beginning," remarked Fender. "These venues are legendary, but they are facing challenges."
Since the start of 2023, over 150 of these venues have permanently closed – roughly 16% of the total UK scene.
Recently, major artists like the band Pulp, the group Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all aided the trust in its attempts to help venues survive, by including a small levy to their admission fees, which supports local stages.
Sam Fender also joined in, generating more than £100,000 on his live tour to support thirty-eight small stages across England, Scotland, and Wales.
These funds helped locations that were confronting imminent closure due to difficulties arising from water damage, fires and bereavements, as well as permit problems, legal disputes and noise complaints.
Other venues received financial assistance in improving amenities and technical equipment that helped musicians and fans.
"The idea that funds from performances in large arenas helps the smaller venues, where it kicks off for performers like me, is just logical," Sam Fender has stated.
The musician is far from the only musician to contribute his award funds to charitable organizations.
When they won the prize in 1996 for their record their work, lead singer Jarvis Cocker announced that the act would contribute their winnings to the non-profit War Child.
During 2002, rapper and singer she divided her bounty among multiple organizations, like the NSPCC and a charity for Sickle Cell.
"Additionally, I gave a £1,000 to my local community centre, to their gymnastics program, because I practiced gymnastics when I was younger and they required better apparatus," Ms Dynamite told the media.
Two years ago, the band donated their prize money to the local youth club that supported their act, alongside other grassroots music organisations.
And the 1994 recipients they contributed their winnings to a charity for MS after a friend was found to have the illness.
"Receiving the award was quite enough," remarked vocalist the singer. "The money was the cherry on top but we could do without the extra, because we had the cake. So our victory touched another person's life."
Recently, the trust announced it had protected several local spots in the South East, by bringing them into community ownership.
The Joiners in Southampton and the other in Bristol were bought under the Own Our Venues program, which is funded by Arts Council England and supporters who purchase "ownership units" in the properties.
