Sam Fender has given the entirety of his £25k honor cash to the trust for venues, which functions to protect the UK's grassroots concert spaces.
The star was awarded the prize on mid-October as his new release People Watching was declared the top album of the last 12 months.
He has decided to hand the money over to the trust, in appreciation of the crucial part local spots fulfilled in his initial steps.
"I personally couldn't be pursuing this success if it hadn't been for all the shows I played around the region, and beyond, when I was beginning," said Fender. "These spaces are legendary, but they are in difficulty."
Since the start of 2023, over 150 of these locations have permanently closed – about 16% of the entire UK sector.
Over the past year, top acts like the band Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all backed the MVT in its initiatives to help venues survive, by applying a minor surcharge to their ticket prices, which benefits local stages.
Sam Fender also took part, raising more than £100,000 on his 2024 arena tour to assist thirty-eight small stages across England, Scotland, and Wales.
The money supported venues that were confronting imminent closure due to challenges caused by flooding, blazes and bereavements, as well as licensing issues, conflicts and sound issues.
Some locations received monetary aid in improving facilities and gear that positively impacted performers and audiences.
"The concept that funds from shows in big venues backs the local stages, where it begins for artists like me, is just logical," Fender has commented.
The musician is far from the only musician to give his award prize money to charitable organizations.
When Pulp received the trophy in 1996 for their release their work, lead singer Cocker stated that the band would donate their cash to the charity the charity.
In 2002, artist the artist divided her bounty between several charities, such as the NSPCC and a charity for Sickle Cell.
"And I gave a £1,000 to the center, to their gymnastics class, because I did gymnastics when I was a child and they required better apparatus," she shared with outlets.
Previously, they donated their funds to the youth organization that supported their act, as well as other grassroots music organisations.
Additionally 1994 winners they donated their prize to a charity for MS after a friend was diagnosed the disease.
"The victory was ample," remarked singer Small. "The money was the extra but we could do without the bonus, because we had the main prize. So our success impacted somebody else's life."
Last week, the MVT revealed it had protected a couple of local spots in south-east England, by placing them under local control.
The Joiners in Southampton and the second in Bristol were purchased under the public acquisition initiative, which is funded by the arts council and enthusiasts who buy "ownership units" in the properties.
