Sam Fender has handed over the entirety of his £25,000 award cash to the MVT, which operates to preserve the Britain's small concert spaces.
The star was awarded the prize on October 16 as his new release his work was declared the top album of the last 12 months.
The musician has chosen to give the cash to the Music Venues Trust, in recognition of the essential function grassroots venues fulfilled in his initial steps.
"As an artist couldn't be pursuing this success if it weren't for all the performances I did around the area, and elsewhere, when I was starting out," remarked Fender. "These venues are renowned, but they are facing challenges."
From early 2023 onward, more than 150 of these spaces have permanently closed – approximately 16% of the entire UK sector.
Over the past year, well-known musicians including Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all aided the MVT in its initiatives to support the industry, by adding a minor surcharge to their ticket prices, which benefits independent venues.
He also took part, generating more than £100,000 on his recent tour to support thirty-eight small stages across Britain.
These funds supported spaces that were confronting potential shutdown due to challenges caused by flooding, blazes and bereavements, as well as regulatory hurdles, conflicts and noise complaints.
Additional spaces received funding support in improving facilities and gear that directly benefitted artists and audiences.
"The notion that funds from performances in major spaces backs the local stages, where it begins for artists like me, is just common sense," Fender has said.
Fender is far from the only musician to contribute his award winnings to worthy causes.
When they received the trophy in 1996 for their record Different Class, frontman Jarvis Cocker declared that the group would give their winnings to the charity War Child.
During 2002, artist the artist shared her bounty between several good causes, such as the children's charity and a Sickle Cell organization.
"Additionally, I donated a £1,000 to my local community centre, to their gymnastics program, because I did gymnastics when I was a child and they needed updated gear," she shared with the media.
Previously, the band contributed their prize money to the youth organization that developed their act, in addition to other grassroots music organisations.
Additionally winners that year the group gave their winnings to a multiple sclerosis charity after a close contact was found to have the condition.
"Winning was sufficient," said singer Heather Small. "The money was the extra but we could do without the extra, because we had the main prize. So our victory impacted the lives of others."
Recently, the MVT announced it had saved several grassroots venues in the South East, by transferring them to public stewardship.
The Joiners in Southampton and the second in Bristol were bought under the public acquisition initiative, which is backed by a national body and enthusiasts who purchase "ownership units" in the buildings.
