Sam Fender has donated the entirety of his £25k award prize money to the Music Venues Trust, which works to preserve the UK's independent concert spaces.
The star was presented with the cheque on 16 October as his new release People Watching was named the best record of the last 12 months.
Fender has chosen to give the cash to the trust, in acknowledgment of the essential function small stages fulfilled in his early career.
"I wouldn't be doing my current career if it weren't for all the shows I performed around the North East, and beyond, when I was just getting going," remarked the artist. "These spaces are iconic, but they are struggling."
Beginning in 2023, at least 150 of these venues have shut down – about 16% of the total UK scene.
In the last year, well-known musicians including Pulp, Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Sheeran have all aided the MVT in its efforts to help venues survive, by adding a minor surcharge to their admission fees, which benefits independent venues.
Fender also joined in, collecting more than £100,000 on his live tour to support 38 small stages across Britain.
These funds assisted locations that were facing possible closure due to issues stemming from floods, fires and bereavements, as well as licensing issues, conflicts and neighbor objections.
Some locations received financial assistance in modernizing facilities and sound and lighting systems that helped musicians and concertgoers.
"The idea that funds from shows in large arenas helps the independent spots, where it begins for performers like me, is just common sense," Fender has said.
Fender is among several artists to contribute his honor funds to charitable organizations.
In the band earned the award in 1996 for their album Different Class, frontman Jarvis Cocker announced that the band would contribute their prize money to the organization War Child.
That year, musician she split her prize across multiple organizations, like the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell charity.
"And I donated a thousand pounds to my local community centre, to their classes, because I did gymnastics when I was a child and they lacked new equipment," the artist told a publication.
Two years ago, they contributed their winnings to the community center that supported their act, alongside other local music groups.
Also 1994 winners M People gave their prize to a charity for MS after a friend was found to have the condition.
"The victory was sufficient," remarked singer Small. "The cash was the cherry on top but we could do without the bonus, because we had the main prize. So our victory touched somebody else's life."
In the past week, the MVT shared it had saved several local spots in that region, by transferring them to local control.
The Joiners in Southampton and the other in that location were acquired under the community ownership initiative, which is supported by a national body and music fans who purchase "ownership units" in the venues.
