Sam Fender has donated the complete sum of his twenty-five thousand pound award winnings to the trust for venues, which functions to save the UK's small music venues.
Fender was awarded the cheque on mid-October as his new release his work was chosen as the best record of the previous year.
He has chosen to give the cash to the MVT, in appreciation of the vital role small stages had in his early career.
"I personally couldn't be pursuing my current career if it hadn't been for all the shows I performed around the North East, and elsewhere, when I was just getting going," said Sam Fender. "These locations are legendary, but they are facing challenges."
Since the start of 2023, at least 150 of these spaces have ceased operations – approximately 16% of the total UK scene.
In the last year, top acts such as the band Pulp, Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all backed the MVT in its initiatives to help venues survive, by including a modest fee to their admission fees, which goes to help local stages.
Sam Fender also joined in, raising in excess of £100,000 on his recent tour to assist 38 small stages across Britain.
The donation assisted locations that were facing imminent closure due to issues arising from flooding, fire incidents and family tragedies, as well as licensing issues, conflicts and sound issues.
Additional spaces obtained funding support in improving amenities and sound and lighting systems that helped performers and concertgoers.
"The concept that funds from shows in big venues supports the smaller venues, where it kicks off for artists like me, is just logical," the star has commented.
Fender is far from the only musician to contribute his honor winnings to worthy causes.
In they received the trophy in 1996 for their album the album, lead singer the singer stated that the act would contribute their cash to the non-profit War Child.
During 2002, rapper and singer the artist divided her bounty across multiple charities, such as the NSPCC and a charity for Sickle Cell.
"Additionally, I donated a grand to the center, to their classes, because I trained in gymnastics when I was younger and they lacked new equipment," the artist told outlets.
Two years ago, Ezra Collective donated their prize money to the youth organization that nurtured their group, alongside other grassroots music organisations.
And 1994 winners the group contributed their prize to a MS organization after a close contact was diagnosed the illness.
"Winning was ample," remarked singer Small. "The cash was the bonus but we didn't require the cherry, because we had the honor. So our winning affected another person's life."
Recently, the MVT shared it had rescued several grassroots venues in the South East, by transferring them to public stewardship.
One venue in Southampton and The Croft in that location were acquired under the Own Our Venues program, which is supported by a national body and enthusiasts who buy "shares" in the venues.
