Sam Fender has given the full amount of his twenty-five thousand pound award winnings to the Music Venues Trust, which works to preserve the United Kingdom's independent music venues.
Fender was given the prize on 16 October as his new release the album was declared the best record of the previous year.
He has opted to give the cash to the trust, in recognition of the essential function local spots had in his early career.
"As an artist would not have achieved what I am doing today if it hadn't been for all the shows I did around the North East, and beyond, when I was just getting going," remarked Sam Fender. "These locations are legendary, but they are struggling."
Beginning in 2023, over 150 of these venues have shut down – roughly one-sixth of the entire UK sector.
Over the past year, major artists such as the band Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all aided the trust in its attempts to support the industry, by adding a small levy to their ticket costs, which goes to help smaller concert halls.
Fender also took part, collecting in excess of £100,000 on his live tour to assist thirty-eight small stages across the UK.
These funds helped venues that were confronting potential shutdown due to challenges stemming from floods, fires and bereavements, as well as regulatory hurdles, court cases and noise complaints.
Other venues received funding support in modernizing infrastructure and gear that directly benefitted artists and audiences.
"The concept that money from shows in large arenas supports the local stages, where it all starts for musicians like me, is just sensible," the star has said.
He is not the first artist to donate his award funds to good deeds.
Back when the band received the trophy in the mid-90s for their release the album, vocalist Jarvis Cocker stated that the band would donate their prize money to the organization War Child.
That year, musician she shared her award among several organizations, including the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell organization.
"And I contributed a thousand pounds to my local community centre, to their gymnastics program, because I practiced gymnastics when I was younger and they needed new equipment," the artist told the media.
Previously, Ezra Collective contributed their prize money to the youth organization that nurtured their act, alongside other grassroots music organisations.
Additionally winners that year the group gave their prize to a multiple sclerosis charity after a friend was found to have the illness.
"The victory was ample," stated artist Small. "The cash was the cherry on top but we didn't require the cherry, because we had the cake. So our winning touched another person's life."
Last week, the MVT shared it had saved several local spots in south-east England, by transferring them to community ownership.
One venue in the city and the other in that location were purchased under the community ownership scheme, which is supported by the arts council and music fans who acquire "shares" in the buildings.
