Sam Fender has donated the full amount of his £25k award cash to the Music Venues Trust, which functions to save the United Kingdom's grassroots music venues.
Fender was given the prize on mid-October as his new release the album was declared the top album of the last 12 months.
He has decided to donate the funds to the trust, in appreciation of the crucial part grassroots venues played in his initial steps.
"I personally couldn't be pursuing this success if it hadn't been for all the performances I performed around the North East, and elsewhere, when I was starting out," said Fender. "These spaces are renowned, but they are in difficulty."
From early 2023 onward, over 150 of these locations have shut down – roughly 16% of the entire UK sector.
Recently, top acts including Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all supported the MVT in its efforts to support the industry, by adding a small levy to their ticket costs, which supports independent venues.
Fender also took part, generating more than £100,000 on his live tour to help thirty-eight small stages across England, Scotland, and Wales.
These funds supported spaces that were dealing with possible closure due to issues caused by floods, fire incidents and bereavements, as well as permit problems, conflicts and sound issues.
Some locations obtained monetary aid in modernizing infrastructure and sound and lighting systems that positively impacted musicians and concertgoers.
"The idea that revenue from performances in major spaces backs the independent spots, where it begins for artists like me, is just common sense," Fender has stated.
He is far from the only musician to contribute his award winnings to charitable organizations.
In the band won the award in 1996 for their record their work, lead singer Cocker declared that the band would donate their winnings to the non-profit War Child.
In 2002, artist the artist divided her prize across a few good causes, including the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell organization.
"Additionally, I contributed a grand to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics class, because I did gymnastics when I was a child and they needed updated gear," the artist explained to a publication.
Previously, the band contributed their winnings to the local youth club that developed their group, in addition to other grassroots music organisations.
Additionally winners that year the group gave their award to a multiple sclerosis charity after a acquaintance was identified with the disease.
"Winning was ample," stated vocalist Small. "The money was the cherry on top but we could do without the cherry, because we had the honor. So our success touched another person's life."
Recently, the MVT revealed it had protected two local spots in the South East, by transferring them to public stewardship.
The first in Southampton and the second in the city were acquired under the community ownership initiative, which is backed by a national body and supporters who purchase "ownership units" in the venues.
