Sam Fender has donated the full amount of his £25k honor prize money to the Music Venues Trust, which functions to protect the Britain's small music venues.
The star was presented with the cheque on 16 October as his new release People Watching was named the outstanding release of the past year.
He has chosen to donate the funds to the trust, in recognition of the vital role small stages had in his early career.
"I couldn't be pursuing what I am doing today if it wasn't for all the shows I performed around the North East, and beyond, when I was just getting going," said Fender. "These venues are renowned, but they are in difficulty."
From early 2023 onward, at least 150 of these venues have ceased operations – about 16 percent of the total UK scene.
Recently, well-known musicians like Pulp, Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all backed the Music Venues Trust in its efforts to help venues survive, by including a modest fee to their admission fees, which benefits independent venues.
Sam Fender also participated, collecting more than £100,000 on his recent tour to support 38 local spots across England, Scotland, and Wales.
The money assisted venues that were confronting imminent closure due to issues arising from floods, fires and family tragedies, as well as permit problems, court cases and sound issues.
Some locations received financial assistance in modernizing infrastructure and technical equipment that helped performers and audiences.
"The notion that revenue from performances in large arenas supports the local stages, where it begins for artists like me, is just sensible," Sam Fender has stated.
Fender is among several artists to give his honor funds to good deeds.
When the band received 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.
During 2002, rapper and singer the artist divided her prize between several organizations, like the NSPCC and a charity for Sickle Cell.
"And I contributed a £1,000 to the center, to their gymnastics class, because I practiced gymnastics when I was growing up and they required new equipment," she told outlets.
Previously, Ezra Collective contributed their winnings to the community center that nurtured their band, as well as other independent music bodies.
And the 1994 recipients the group gave their award to a charity for MS after a acquaintance was diagnosed the illness.
"Winning was quite enough," stated artist Heather Small. "The money was the bonus but we could do without the cherry, because we had the main prize. So our victory impacted somebody else's life."
Last week, the Music Venues Trust shared it had saved several small stages in the South East, by placing them under local control.
One venue in that area and The Croft in Bristol were acquired under the community ownership program, which is backed by a national body and enthusiasts who acquire "shares" in the venues.
