Sam Fender has given the entirety of his £25k honor winnings to the trust for venues, which works to preserve the UK's independent live music spots.
The star was given the prize on mid-October as his new release People Watching was chosen as the outstanding release of the last 12 months.
He has chosen to hand the money over to the Music Venues Trust, in recognition of the essential function small stages had in his beginning days.
"I couldn't be pursuing what I am doing today if it hadn't been for all the shows I played around the region, and beyond, when I was just getting going," remarked Fender. "These venues are legendary, but they are facing challenges."
Beginning in 2023, at least 150 of these spaces have shut down – about 16% of the total UK scene.
Over the past year, top acts like Pulp, the group Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all backed the MVT in its initiatives to help venues survive, by adding a minor surcharge to their ticket prices, which goes to help independent venues.
Fender also took part, raising over £100k on his recent tour to assist 38 grassroots venues across England, Scotland, and Wales.
These funds assisted venues that were confronting possible closure due to challenges caused by water damage, fires and personal losses, as well as licensing issues, court cases and sound issues.
Other venues received funding support in upgrading amenities and technical equipment that directly benefitted musicians and concertgoers.
"The notion that revenue from shows in major spaces helps the local stages, where it begins for musicians like me, is just sensible," Fender has stated.
Fender is not the first artist to contribute his honor winnings to good deeds.
When they received the award in the mid-90s for their release the album, frontman the singer stated that the act would give their winnings to the charity War Child.
During 2002, rapper and singer the artist shared her award between a few good causes, such as the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell organization.
"I also contributed a grand to Highgate Newtown, to their classes, because I practiced gymnastics when I was a child and they needed new equipment," Ms Dynamite told a publication.
Previously, they contributed their funds to the community center that nurtured their group, alongside other grassroots music organisations.
And winners that year M People donated their prize to a multiple sclerosis charity after a close contact was found to have the disease.
"The victory was quite enough," said vocalist the singer. "The money was the bonus but we didn't require the extra, because we had the main prize. So our success touched somebody else's life."
Recently, the Music Venues Trust shared it had saved two small stages in that region, by bringing them into public stewardship.
The first in Southampton and The Croft in the city were purchased under the community ownership scheme, which is backed by Arts Council England and supporters who buy "shares" in the properties.
