Sam Fender has given the full amount of his £25,000 honor cash to the trust for venues, which functions to save the United Kingdom's grassroots concert spaces.
He was presented with the prize on 16 October as his third album his work was declared the top album of the previous year.
He has chosen to hand the money over to the trust, in acknowledgment of the crucial part grassroots venues fulfilled in his beginning days.
"I personally couldn't be pursuing my current career if it hadn't been for all the gigs I played around the region, and further afield, when I was just getting going," said the artist. "These venues are iconic, but they are facing challenges."
Since the start of 2023, at least 150 of these spaces have ceased operations – about 16 percent of the total UK scene.
In the last year, major artists such as Pulp, Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all aided the MVT in its attempts to support the industry, by including a modest fee to their admission fees, which supports independent venues.
Sam Fender also participated, raising over £100k on his 2024 arena tour to assist 38 grassroots venues across England, Scotland, and Wales.
These funds helped locations that were facing potential shutdown due to difficulties caused by water damage, blazes and personal losses, as well as permit problems, court cases and noise complaints.
Other venues received financial assistance in modernizing amenities and sound and lighting systems that positively impacted artists and audiences.
"The idea that funds from performances in large arenas helps the smaller venues, where it begins for musicians like me, is just common sense," Sam Fender has stated.
Fender is among several artists to contribute his award winnings to charitable organizations.
When the band won the award in 1996 for their album the album, lead singer Jarvis Cocker stated that the group would donate their winnings to the organization War Child.
That year, artist Ms Dynamite shared her award across a few charities, including the children's charity and a charity for Sickle Cell.
"I also contributed a £1,000 to the center, to their gymnastics program, because I practiced gymnastics when I was a child and they lacked updated gear," the artist shared with outlets.
In recent years, Ezra Collective donated their prize money to the community center that supported their act, alongside other local music groups.
Also winners that year M People contributed their award to a charity for MS after a close contact was identified with the condition.
"The victory was quite enough," remarked vocalist the singer. "The prize was the extra but we could do without the cherry, because we had the honor. So our victory affected another person's life."
Recently, the MVT shared it had saved several grassroots venues in that region, by placing them under community ownership.
The first in that area and The Croft in the city were acquired under the public acquisition initiative, which is supported by a national body and music fans who purchase "shares" in the properties.
