Sam Fender has handed over the entirety of his twenty-five thousand pound award prize money to the MVT, which operates to preserve the UK's independent music venues.
The star was presented with the cheque on October 16 as his new release his work was declared the outstanding release of the past year.
Fender has opted to donate the funds to the MVT, in appreciation of the vital role small stages had in his initial steps.
"As an artist would not have achieved what I am doing today if it weren't for all the shows I played around the North East, and elsewhere, when I was starting out," remarked Fender. "These locations are legendary, but they are struggling."
Beginning in 2023, over 150 of these venues have shut down – about one-sixth of the entire UK sector.
Recently, well-known musicians such as Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all supported the trust in its attempts to support the industry, by adding a small levy to their ticket costs, which benefits independent venues.
Fender also participated, raising over £100k on his live tour to support 38 small stages across the UK.
These funds helped venues that were confronting possible closure due to issues arising from water damage, blazes and bereavements, as well as regulatory hurdles, court cases and sound issues.
Additional spaces were granted funding support in improving facilities and sound and lighting systems that directly benefitted musicians and concertgoers.
"The notion that money from shows in large arenas supports the smaller venues, where it all starts for artists like me, is just common sense," the star has commented.
The musician is among several artists to contribute his award funds to worthy causes.
Back when Pulp earned the award in the mid-90s for their release their work, lead singer Jarvis Cocker announced that the group would contribute their prize money to the organization War Child.
During 2002, artist she split her bounty between several charities, like the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell organization.
"I also contributed a £1,000 to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics class, because I trained in gymnastics when I was a child and they needed better apparatus," the artist told outlets.
Previously, they donated their funds to the youth organization that supported their act, as well as other local music groups.
Also the 1994 recipients M People donated their prize to a multiple sclerosis charity after a close contact was diagnosed the disease.
"The victory was quite enough," said singer the singer. "The cash was the cherry on top but we didn't require the cherry, because we had the main prize. So our winning touched the lives of others."
Recently, the trust shared it had saved a couple of grassroots venues in the South East, by transferring them to local control.
The first in the city and the other in that location were acquired under the community ownership initiative, which is funded by the arts council and supporters who acquire "shares" in the venues.
