Sam Fender has donated the full amount of his £25k award prize money to the trust for venues, which functions to protect the UK's independent live music spots.
He was awarded the cheque on mid-October as his third album the album was chosen as the outstanding release of the previous year.
He has chosen to donate the funds to the MVT, in acknowledgment of the essential function grassroots venues played in his initial steps.
"I wouldn't be doing my current career if it weren't for all the shows I performed around the North East, and elsewhere, when I was just getting going," remarked the artist. "These locations are legendary, but they are facing challenges."
Beginning in 2023, at least 150 of these locations have permanently closed – roughly 16 percent of the whole industry in the UK.
Recently, well-known musicians including the band Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all backed the Music Venues Trust in its efforts to help venues survive, by adding a small levy to their admission fees, which goes to help independent venues.
Sam Fender also participated, raising more than £100,000 on his 2024 arena tour to help 38 local spots across England, Scotland, and Wales.
The donation helped spaces that were facing imminent closure due to issues arising from water damage, fire incidents and bereavements, as well as regulatory hurdles, court cases and sound issues.
Other venues received monetary aid in upgrading amenities and gear that helped artists and concertgoers.
"The idea that funds from shows in large arenas supports the independent spots, where it begins for musicians like me, is just common sense," Fender has commented.
He is far from the only musician to donate his award winnings to good deeds.
Back when Pulp received the prize in the year 1996 for their record Different Class, frontman the singer stated that the band would give their prize money to the organization War Child.
In 2002, artist she split her prize across a few charities, like the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell organization.
"Additionally, I gave a £1,000 to the center, to their gymnastics class, because I did gymnastics when I was a child and they required better apparatus," Ms Dynamite told a publication.
Two years ago, Ezra Collective donated their funds to the youth organization that nurtured their act, in addition to other grassroots music organisations.
Also the 1994 recipients they contributed their award to a multiple sclerosis charity after a close contact was found to have the condition.
"The victory was sufficient," said vocalist Small. "The prize was the extra but we didn't require the cherry, because we had the main prize. So our success touched somebody else's life."
In the past week, the MVT shared it had protected two local spots in the South East, by placing them under community ownership.
The first in the city and The Croft in that location were purchased under the Own Our Venues initiative, which is backed by a national body and enthusiasts who purchase "ownership units" in the properties.
