Sam Fender has donated the complete sum of his £25k award cash to the trust for venues, which operates to protect the UK's independent music venues.
Fender was given the award on mid-October as his new release People Watching was chosen as the top album of the past year.
The musician has decided to donate the funds to the trust, in appreciation of the crucial part grassroots venues fulfilled in his initial steps.
"As an artist wouldn't be doing this success if it wasn't for all the shows I played around the North East, and elsewhere, when I was just getting going," remarked Sam Fender. "These venues are renowned, but they are in difficulty."
From early 2023 onward, more than 150 of these venues have ceased operations – roughly one-sixth of the entire UK sector.
In the last year, major artists such as Pulp, Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all aided the MVT in its attempts to help venues survive, by applying a small levy to their ticket costs, which goes to help independent venues.
Fender also participated, generating in excess of £100,000 on his recent tour to assist thirty-eight local spots across the UK.
The money supported spaces that were dealing with possible closure due to issues stemming from flooding, blazes and family tragedies, as well as licensing issues, court cases and sound issues.
Other venues received monetary aid in upgrading facilities and sound and lighting systems that helped artists and concertgoers.
"The notion that money from performances in major spaces supports the smaller venues, where it begins for performers like me, is just common sense," the star has commented.
The musician is not the first artist to donate his honor prize money to good deeds.
When Pulp received the prize in 1996 for their release Different Class, frontman the singer stated that the act would contribute their cash to the non-profit War Child.
In 2002, musician Ms Dynamite shared her bounty across multiple organizations, like the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell organization.
"And I gave a £1,000 to the center, to their gymnastics class, because I practiced gymnastics when I was growing up and they needed updated gear," Ms Dynamite told the media.
Two years ago, the band contributed their funds to the local youth club that developed their band, in addition to other grassroots music organisations.
Additionally the 1994 recipients they contributed their winnings to a MS organization after a close contact was diagnosed the condition.
"Receiving the award was ample," stated artist Small. "The prize was the extra but we didn't need the bonus, because we had the main prize. So our victory affected somebody else's life."
Recently, the Music Venues Trust announced it had protected several grassroots venues in that region, by transferring them to public stewardship.
The first in the city and The Croft in the city were acquired under the public acquisition program, which is backed by the arts council and supporters who acquire "shares" in the venues.
