Sam Fender has given the full amount of his £25k award prize money to the trust for venues, which operates to preserve the UK's small music venues.
Fender was given the award on 16 October as his new release his work was declared the best record of the past year.
Fender has opted to give the cash to the Music Venues Trust, in appreciation of the essential function grassroots venues fulfilled in his beginning days.
"I wouldn't be doing what I am doing today if it weren't for all the performances I did around the North East, and elsewhere, when I was starting out," remarked Fender. "These spaces are renowned, but they are facing challenges."
Since the start of 2023, over 150 of these locations have permanently closed – about 16 percent of the total UK scene.
Recently, major artists like Pulp, Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all supported the trust in its attempts to help venues survive, by adding a minor surcharge to their admission fees, which goes to help smaller concert halls.
Sam Fender also took part, generating over £100k on his recent tour to assist 38 local spots across the UK.
The money assisted spaces that were confronting imminent closure due to challenges stemming from water damage, fire incidents and bereavements, as well as regulatory hurdles, court cases and noise complaints.
Some locations received monetary aid in modernizing facilities and technical equipment that directly benefitted performers and concertgoers.
"The idea that funds from concerts in big venues supports the independent spots, where it all starts for musicians like me, is just sensible," Sam Fender has said.
Fender is not the first artist to give his honor prize money to good deeds.
When the band earned the trophy in 1996 for their record the album, vocalist Cocker announced that the act would contribute their winnings to the charity the charity.
That year, artist she split her bounty between multiple good causes, including the children's charity and a Sickle Cell charity.
"And I contributed a thousand pounds to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics class, because I did gymnastics when I was younger and they required updated gear," the artist explained to a publication.
In recent years, Ezra Collective donated their funds to the youth organization that nurtured their act, in addition to other grassroots music organisations.
And winners that year they gave their award to a MS organization after a friend was diagnosed the condition.
"Winning was ample," stated vocalist Small. "The prize was the cherry on top but we could do without the cherry, because we had the cake. So our victory affected another person's life."
Last week, the trust announced it had protected a couple of local spots in south-east England, by placing them under public stewardship.
One venue in Southampton and The Croft in that location were bought under the public acquisition scheme, which is funded by a national body and enthusiasts who purchase "stakes" in the buildings.
