Sam Fender has donated the entirety of his £25,000 award cash to the trust for venues, which functions to preserve the United Kingdom's small concert spaces.
Fender was given the cheque on mid-October as his latest record the album was named the best record of the past year.
Fender has decided to hand the money over to the MVT, in recognition of the vital role grassroots venues played in his initial steps.
"As an artist would not have achieved what I am doing today if it weren't for all the performances I performed around the area, and further afield, when I was just getting going," stated the artist. "These locations are renowned, but they are struggling."
From early 2023 onward, at least 150 of these spaces have ceased operations – roughly 16 percent of the entire UK sector.
In the last year, top acts such as Pulp, Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all aided the trust in its efforts to support the industry, by adding a modest fee to their ticket costs, which supports smaller concert halls.
Sam Fender also participated, raising over £100k on his recent tour to support numerous local spots across the UK.
The donation supported locations that were dealing with imminent closure due to difficulties stemming from flooding, blazes and family tragedies, as well as permit problems, legal disputes and neighbor objections.
Some locations were granted financial assistance in upgrading infrastructure and gear that helped performers and fans.
"The notion that funds from performances in big venues helps the smaller venues, where it begins for performers like me, is just logical," Sam Fender has said.
He is not the first artist to donate his award prize money to good deeds.
Back when Pulp won the prize in 1996 for their release Different Class, lead singer the singer declared that the group would donate their cash to the charity the charity.
During 2002, artist Ms Dynamite divided her prize between multiple charities, like the NSPCC and a charity for Sickle Cell.
"I also gave a £1,000 to my local community centre, to their gymnastics program, because I trained in gymnastics when I was a child and they lacked updated gear," the artist told a publication.
Two years ago, they contributed their prize money to the local youth club that developed their act, as well as other grassroots music organisations.
Also winners that year M People gave their winnings to a multiple sclerosis charity after a close contact was identified with the illness.
"Winning was sufficient," remarked artist the singer. "The prize was the bonus but we could do without the bonus, because we had the honor. So our success impacted somebody else's life."
In the past week, the Music Venues Trust shared it had rescued several local spots in the South East, by bringing them into public stewardship.
One venue in Southampton and the other in the city were purchased under the Own Our Venues scheme, which is funded by Arts Council England and supporters who purchase "shares" in the buildings.
