Sam Fender has donated the entirety of his £25k award prize money to the trust for venues, which functions to protect the UK's independent concert spaces.
He was presented with the prize on mid-October as his new release People Watching was chosen as the best record of the last 12 months.
The musician has chosen to hand the money over to the MVT, in recognition of the crucial part small stages played in his beginning days.
"I personally couldn't be pursuing this success if it weren't for all the shows I did around the region, and beyond, when I was starting out," said the artist. "These venues are renowned, but they are struggling."
Since the start of 2023, more than 150 of these locations have permanently closed – roughly 16 percent of the total UK scene.
Over the past year, well-known musicians like Pulp, Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all backed the MVT in its initiatives to keep the scene afloat, by applying a minor surcharge to their ticket prices, which benefits local stages.
Fender also joined in, raising in excess of £100,000 on his recent tour to assist 38 local spots across Britain.
These funds assisted spaces that were facing imminent closure due to issues caused by water damage, blazes and bereavements, as well as regulatory hurdles, legal disputes and sound issues.
Some locations were granted funding support in improving amenities and gear that helped artists and audiences.
"The notion that funds from shows in big venues supports the independent spots, where it all starts for musicians like me, is just sensible," Sam Fender has commented.
He is not the first artist to give his honor funds to charitable organizations.
In Pulp won the award in the mid-90s for their release the album, vocalist Cocker announced that the act would give their cash to the organization the charity.
During 2002, musician the artist divided her bounty between several organizations, including the NSPCC and a charity for Sickle Cell.
"Additionally, I donated a grand to my local community centre, to their classes, because I did gymnastics when I was younger and they required better apparatus," she explained to a publication.
Previously, they contributed their funds to the local youth club that supported their act, as well as other independent music bodies.
Also winners that year the group gave their prize to a MS organization after a acquaintance was identified with the illness.
"Winning was sufficient," stated singer the singer. "The money was the extra but we didn't require the extra, because we had the main prize. So our success impacted the lives of others."
Last week, the MVT announced it had rescued two grassroots venues in that region, by transferring them to local control.
The Joiners in the city and the second in the city were bought under the Own Our Venues initiative, which is funded by a national body and music fans who acquire "shares" in the properties.
