Sam Fender has given the complete sum of his £25k award cash to the trust for venues, which operates to save the UK's grassroots live music spots.
Fender was presented with the cheque on mid-October as his new release the album was chosen as the outstanding release of the last 12 months.
He has chosen to give the cash to the MVT, in acknowledgment of the vital role grassroots venues had in his early career.
"I couldn't be pursuing what I am doing today if it weren't for all the gigs I played around the area, and beyond, when I was beginning," stated Fender. "These spaces are iconic, but they are in difficulty."
From early 2023 onward, at least 150 of these venues have permanently closed – roughly 16 percent of the entire UK sector.
In the last year, top acts such as Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all supported the trust in its efforts to help venues survive, by applying a small levy to their admission fees, which supports smaller concert halls.
Sam Fender also took part, collecting in excess of £100,000 on his live tour to assist 38 grassroots venues across Britain.
The donation helped locations that were dealing with imminent closure due to challenges arising from water damage, fire incidents and bereavements, as well as regulatory hurdles, legal disputes and noise complaints.
Other venues received funding support in modernizing amenities and gear that helped artists and audiences.
"The notion that money from performances in large arenas helps the smaller venues, where it begins for artists like me, is just common sense," Sam Fender has commented.
The musician is far from the only musician to contribute his award prize money to good deeds.
Back when they won the award in the year 1996 for their album their work, lead singer Cocker announced that the group would donate their prize money to the charity the charity.
In 2002, musician the artist split her bounty across a few charities, like the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell charity.
"I also gave a grand to my local community centre, to their gymnastics program, because I did gymnastics when I was younger and they required updated gear," she shared with outlets.
In recent years, the band gave their winnings to the youth organization that nurtured their act, in addition to other grassroots music organisations.
Additionally winners that year the group gave their award to a charity for MS after a acquaintance was found to have the disease.
"Winning was ample," said singer Heather Small. "The cash was the cherry on top but we didn't require the cherry, because we had the honor. So our victory impacted the lives of others."
Recently, the MVT announced it had saved several local spots in south-east England, by transferring them to public stewardship.
One venue in Southampton and the second in that location were acquired under the Own Our Venues program, which is funded by a national body and supporters who buy "stakes" in the venues.
