Sam Fender has handed over the full amount of his £25k honor prize money to the trust for venues, which works to protect the United Kingdom's independent concert spaces.
He was presented with the cheque on October 16 as his new release People Watching was named the top album of the previous year.
He has chosen to hand the money over to the MVT, in appreciation of the essential function grassroots venues had in his initial steps.
"As an artist couldn't be pursuing my current career if it hadn't been for all the performances I performed around the region, and beyond, when I was starting out," said the artist. "These venues are renowned, but they are in difficulty."
Beginning in 2023, at least 150 of these venues have permanently closed – roughly 16% of the total UK scene.
Recently, top acts such as Pulp, the group Coldplay, Katy Perry and Sheeran have all supported the MVT in its attempts to support the industry, by applying a minor surcharge to their ticket costs, which goes to help smaller concert halls.
Fender also participated, raising over £100k on his recent tour to help 38 small stages across Britain.
These funds supported spaces that were facing possible closure due to challenges stemming from floods, fire incidents and bereavements, as well as regulatory hurdles, court cases and noise complaints.
Other venues obtained funding support in upgrading facilities and technical equipment that directly benefitted musicians and audiences.
"The concept that funds from performances in large arenas helps the local stages, where it all starts for artists like me, is just sensible," the star has commented.
Fender is far from the only musician to give his award funds to good deeds.
In the band earned the prize in the mid-90s for their record their work, lead singer Jarvis Cocker declared that the band would donate their winnings to the non-profit War Child.
In 2002, artist Ms Dynamite shared her prize among several good causes, such as the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell charity.
"I also contributed a £1,000 to Highgate Newtown, to their classes, because I trained in gymnastics when I was a child and they lacked better apparatus," Ms Dynamite explained to a publication.
In recent years, the band contributed their winnings to the youth organization that supported their band, alongside other grassroots music organisations.
Additionally 1994 winners M People gave their award to a MS organization after a friend was identified with the disease.
"Receiving the award was ample," stated singer Heather Small. "The money was the cherry on top but we didn't require the cherry, because we had the cake. So our victory affected another person's life."
In the past week, the Music Venues Trust shared it had saved several grassroots venues in the South East, by bringing them into local control.
The Joiners in that area and the other in that location were acquired under the Own Our Venues initiative, which is funded by a national body and supporters who acquire "shares" in the venues.
