Sam Fender has given the entirety of his £25k award cash to the Music Venues Trust, which functions to protect the Britain's small music venues.
He was given the cheque on 16 October as his third album People Watching was named the best record of the last 12 months.
Fender has decided to hand the money over to the MVT, in recognition of the vital role small stages fulfilled in his early career.
"I wouldn't be doing this success if it hadn't been for all the gigs I played around the North East, and elsewhere, when I was beginning," remarked the artist. "These spaces are legendary, but they are struggling."
Since the start of 2023, over 150 of these venues have shut down – about 16% of the whole industry in the UK.
Recently, well-known musicians like Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all supported the MVT in its initiatives to support the industry, by adding a small levy to their ticket costs, which benefits local stages.
Fender also joined in, raising more than £100,000 on his 2024 arena tour to help thirty-eight grassroots venues across Britain.
The money helped locations that were dealing with imminent closure due to difficulties caused by water damage, fires and personal losses, as well as permit problems, legal disputes and noise complaints.
Some locations obtained funding support in improving amenities and sound and lighting systems that directly benefitted musicians and concertgoers.
"The idea that funds from shows in large arenas helps the independent spots, where it begins for performers like me, is just sensible," the star has stated.
He is far from the only musician to donate his honor funds to worthy causes.
Back when Pulp won the award in the mid-90s for their album Different Class, vocalist Cocker declared that the group would contribute their cash to the non-profit War Child.
That year, musician she divided her award between several good causes, such as the children's charity and a Sickle Cell charity.
"Additionally, I gave a grand to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics program, because I trained in gymnastics when I was younger and they needed better apparatus," the artist shared with the media.
In recent years, Ezra Collective contributed their winnings to the youth organization that supported their group, alongside other local music groups.
And 1994 winners M People contributed their winnings to a charity for MS after a acquaintance was identified with the disease.
"The victory was quite enough," said singer Heather Small. "The prize was the extra but we didn't need the cherry, because we had the main prize. So our success impacted somebody else's life."
In the past week, the MVT revealed it had rescued two local spots in south-east England, by placing them under community ownership.
One venue in the city and the other in Bristol were acquired under the Own Our Venues initiative, which is funded by Arts Council England and supporters who acquire "ownership units" in the venues.
