Sam Fender has handed over the full amount of his twenty-five thousand pound award prize money to the MVT, which works to save the United Kingdom's small music venues.
Fender was given the cheque on mid-October as his latest record the album was declared the outstanding release of the past year.
The musician has opted to hand the money over to the trust, in acknowledgment of the vital role grassroots venues fulfilled in his early career.
"I would not have achieved my current career if it hadn't been for all the gigs I did around the area, and further afield, when I was just getting going," said Fender. "These locations are renowned, but they are in difficulty."
From early 2023 onward, more than 150 of these spaces have shut down – about 16 percent of the entire UK sector.
Recently, top acts including Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all supported the trust in its efforts to keep the scene afloat, by adding a modest fee to their ticket prices, which benefits smaller concert halls.
He also took part, generating in excess of £100,000 on his recent tour to assist thirty-eight local spots across Britain.
The money helped locations that were facing possible closure due to issues arising from flooding, fire incidents and bereavements, as well as licensing issues, court cases and noise complaints.
Other venues were granted funding support in improving infrastructure and technical equipment that helped artists and concertgoers.
"The idea that revenue from performances in major spaces helps the local stages, where it kicks off for musicians like me, is just common sense," the star has commented.
The musician is not the first artist to donate his award funds to good deeds.
Back when Pulp received the prize in the mid-90s for their release Different Class, vocalist Jarvis Cocker declared that the act would donate their cash to the charity the charity.
In 2002, musician Ms Dynamite divided her prize across a few charities, such as the NSPCC and a charity for Sickle Cell.
"Additionally, I gave a grand to the center, to their gymnastics class, because I practiced gymnastics when I was growing up and they required new equipment," the artist explained to the media.
Previously, they contributed their winnings to the youth organization that developed their group, as well as other local music groups.
Also winners that year M People contributed their prize to a MS organization after a friend was found to have the illness.
"Winning was ample," stated artist Small. "The prize was the cherry on top but we didn't require the extra, because we had the main prize. So our winning touched the lives of others."
Recently, the Music Venues Trust revealed it had rescued several local spots in south-east England, by transferring them to community ownership.
The first in that area and The Croft in that location were purchased under the public acquisition program, which is supported by Arts Council England and music fans who purchase "stakes" in the venues.
