Sam Fender has donated the entirety of his £25k award cash to the trust for venues, which works to protect the UK's independent live music spots.
Fender was presented with the prize on mid-October as his latest record his work was named the outstanding release of the last 12 months.
Fender has decided to donate the funds to the Music Venues Trust, in acknowledgment of the essential function small stages fulfilled in his beginning days.
"I personally wouldn't be doing my current career if it wasn't for all the performances I did around the region, and beyond, when I was just getting going," said Sam Fender. "These locations are iconic, but they are struggling."
Since the start of 2023, more than 150 of these spaces have ceased operations – approximately one-sixth of the entire UK sector.
In the last year, top acts like Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all supported the Music Venues Trust in its initiatives to support the industry, by applying a modest fee to their ticket prices, which benefits local stages.
Sam Fender also joined in, generating over £100k on his 2024 arena tour to assist thirty-eight grassroots venues across the UK.
These funds supported spaces that were facing possible closure due to challenges stemming from water damage, fire incidents and bereavements, as well as regulatory hurdles, court cases and sound issues.
Some locations received funding support in modernizing infrastructure and gear that positively impacted artists and concertgoers.
"The idea that funds from concerts in big venues supports the independent spots, where it kicks off for performers like me, is just sensible," Sam Fender has said.
Fender is not the first artist to contribute his award funds to good deeds.
In Pulp received the prize in the mid-90s for their album the album, frontman Cocker declared that the group would give their winnings to the non-profit War Child.
During 2002, rapper and singer she shared her bounty across several organizations, such as the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell organization.
"And I gave a £1,000 to the center, to their classes, because I practiced gymnastics when I was younger and they needed updated gear," the artist told a publication.
In recent years, Ezra Collective donated their winnings to the community center that developed their band, in addition to other independent music bodies.
Additionally 1994 winners they gave their winnings to a charity for MS after a friend was found to have the condition.
"Winning was ample," said artist the singer. "The cash was the extra but we didn't need the cherry, because we had the main prize. So our victory affected the lives of others."
Last week, the Music Venues Trust revealed it had protected two small stages in that region, by bringing them into public stewardship.
The Joiners in the city and The Croft in Bristol were purchased under the public acquisition scheme, which is supported by the arts council and music fans who buy "stakes" in the venues.
