Sam Fender has donated the complete sum of his £25k award cash to the Music Venues Trust, which works to protect the Britain's grassroots music venues.
Fender was presented with the cheque on mid-October as his new release his work was chosen as the top album of the previous year.
He has chosen to give the cash to the Music Venues Trust, in acknowledgment of the vital role local spots played in his early career.
"I wouldn't be doing what I am doing today if it wasn't for all the gigs I performed around the area, and further afield, when I was beginning," stated the artist. "These locations are iconic, but they are in difficulty."
Since the start of 2023, at least 150 of these spaces have permanently closed – about one-sixth of the total UK scene.
Over the past year, major artists including Pulp, the group Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all aided the trust in its efforts to support the industry, by applying a small levy to their admission fees, which supports local stages.
He also joined in, raising in excess of £100,000 on his live tour to support numerous local spots across the UK.
The money assisted venues that were confronting imminent closure due to difficulties caused by floods, blazes and bereavements, as well as regulatory hurdles, conflicts and noise complaints.
Additional spaces obtained financial assistance in upgrading amenities and sound and lighting systems that directly benefitted performers and audiences.
"The idea that money from concerts in large arenas supports the independent spots, where it kicks off for musicians like me, is just common sense," the star has commented.
The musician is not the first artist to give his award winnings to worthy causes.
When Pulp earned the award in 1996 for their record the album, vocalist Jarvis Cocker announced that the act would contribute their cash to the non-profit the charity.
In 2002, artist the artist shared her bounty across several organizations, such as the NSPCC and a charity for Sickle Cell.
"Additionally, I donated a £1,000 to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics class, because I trained in gymnastics when I was younger and they needed updated gear," Ms Dynamite shared with the media.
Previously, the band gave their funds to the community center that supported their act, as well as other independent music bodies.
Additionally the 1994 recipients the group gave their award to a charity for MS after a friend was identified with the illness.
"Winning was quite enough," stated artist Small. "The cash was the extra but we could do without the bonus, because we had the main prize. So our winning affected another person's life."
In the past week, the MVT shared it had saved several small stages in south-east England, by bringing them into local control.
The Joiners in the city and the other in Bristol were bought under the Own Our Venues program, which is backed by the arts council and supporters who buy "stakes" in the venues.
