Sam Fender has given the entirety of his £25k award winnings to the trust for venues, which functions to save the United Kingdom's independent music venues.
Fender was awarded the cheque on mid-October as his latest record his work was declared the top album of the last 12 months.
The musician has decided to hand the money over to the MVT, in appreciation of the essential function small stages had in his early career.
"I personally wouldn't be doing this success if it wasn't for all the performances I did around the region, and beyond, when I was just getting going," said Fender. "These spaces are iconic, but they are facing challenges."
Since the start of 2023, over 150 of these spaces have permanently closed – approximately 16 percent of the total UK scene.
In the last year, top acts like Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all aided the trust in its initiatives to support the industry, by including a minor surcharge to their ticket prices, which supports independent venues.
Sam Fender also joined in, collecting over £100k on his recent tour to assist thirty-eight small stages across the UK.
The money helped locations that were facing potential shutdown due to issues arising from water damage, fires and bereavements, as well as permit problems, legal disputes and neighbor objections.
Additional spaces received financial assistance in upgrading amenities and gear that helped musicians and audiences.
"The notion that funds from shows in big venues helps the local stages, where it begins for musicians like me, is just sensible," Sam Fender has said.
Fender is not the first artist to give his honor prize money to good deeds.
In the band won the trophy in the year 1996 for their album their work, frontman Cocker stated that the group would contribute their cash to the non-profit War Child.
During 2002, artist the artist split her prize among several good causes, like the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell organization.
"Additionally, I contributed a thousand pounds to my local community centre, to their gymnastics class, because I trained in gymnastics when I was growing up and they lacked better apparatus," she explained to outlets.
Previously, the band gave their funds to the community center that nurtured their act, alongside other grassroots music organisations.
And the 1994 recipients they gave their award to a charity for MS after a acquaintance was identified with the disease.
"Winning was ample," remarked artist the singer. "The prize was the cherry on top but we didn't require the bonus, because we had the main prize. So our success touched the lives of others."
Recently, the Music Venues Trust revealed it had rescued a couple of small stages in south-east England, by placing them under local control.
The first in that area and the second in that location were purchased under the public acquisition program, which is backed by the arts council and enthusiasts who buy "ownership units" in the buildings.
