Sam Fender has donated the full amount of his £25k award winnings to the MVT, which functions to protect the UK's small live music spots.
He was presented with the award on mid-October as his new release People Watching was named the outstanding release of the previous year.
He has chosen to give the cash to the Music Venues Trust, in appreciation of the vital role small stages had in his beginning days.
"I couldn't be pursuing my current career if it hadn't been for all the gigs I did around the area, and elsewhere, when I was just getting going," said the artist. "These venues are legendary, but they are struggling."
Beginning in 2023, more than 150 of these locations have shut down – approximately 16% of the whole industry in the UK.
Over the past year, well-known musicians including Pulp, Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Sheeran have all supported the Music Venues Trust in its attempts to support the industry, by including a minor surcharge to their ticket prices, which benefits local stages.
Fender also took part, collecting over £100k on his live tour to support thirty-eight local spots across the UK.
The donation assisted venues that were confronting imminent closure due to difficulties stemming from floods, blazes and bereavements, as well as permit problems, legal disputes and neighbor objections.
Other venues obtained financial assistance in upgrading infrastructure and gear that positively impacted artists and fans.
"The idea that money from concerts in large arenas helps the local stages, where it all starts for musicians like me, is just sensible," Fender has stated.
He is among several artists to give his award winnings to charitable organizations.
When the band received the prize in the mid-90s for their release Different Class, lead singer the singer stated that the group would donate their winnings to the non-profit War Child.
That year, rapper and singer she divided her prize between multiple organizations, including the children's charity and a Sickle Cell organization.
"Additionally, I contributed a thousand pounds to the center, to their gymnastics class, because I did gymnastics when I was a child and they lacked new equipment," the artist told outlets.
Two years ago, the band donated their winnings to the local youth club that developed their band, as well as other grassroots music organisations.
And the 1994 recipients they contributed their winnings to a charity for MS after a friend was found to have the illness.
"The victory was ample," stated singer Heather Small. "The prize was the cherry on top but we didn't require the bonus, because we had the main prize. So our success affected the lives of others."
In the past week, the trust revealed it had saved several grassroots venues in south-east England, by bringing them into community ownership.
One venue in Southampton and the other in the city were purchased under the Own Our Venues program, which is funded by the arts council and supporters who buy "ownership units" in the properties.
