Sam Fender has handed over the entirety of his £25,000 award winnings to the Music Venues Trust, which operates to preserve the Britain's small live music spots.
The star was given the prize on 16 October as his new release People Watching was chosen as the top album of the previous year.
He has chosen to give the cash to the Music Venues Trust, in recognition of the essential function local spots fulfilled in his early career.
"I couldn't be pursuing my current career if it weren't for all the shows I did around the region, and further afield, when I was beginning," said the artist. "These locations are iconic, but they are facing challenges."
From early 2023 onward, more than 150 of these locations have shut down – roughly 16% of the whole industry in the UK.
Recently, major artists including the band Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all aided the MVT in its initiatives to support the industry, by applying a modest fee to their ticket costs, which benefits smaller concert halls.
Sam Fender also joined in, collecting over £100k on his live tour to assist 38 small stages across the UK.
The money helped spaces that were confronting possible closure due to difficulties stemming from floods, fires and personal losses, as well as licensing issues, court cases and neighbor objections.
Some locations were granted funding support in modernizing facilities and sound and lighting systems that positively impacted musicians and concertgoers.
"The idea that funds from concerts in major spaces backs the local stages, where it kicks off for musicians like me, is just logical," the star has commented.
He is among several artists to give his honor prize money to charitable organizations.
When the band received the award in the year 1996 for their album the album, frontman Jarvis Cocker declared that the group would donate their prize money to the organization War Child.
During 2002, rapper and singer Ms Dynamite divided her prize across a few good causes, like the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell charity.
"I also donated a grand to Highgate Newtown, to their classes, because I practiced gymnastics when I was a child and they required new equipment," Ms Dynamite explained to outlets.
Previously, the band donated their prize money to the community center that supported their group, as well as other grassroots music organisations.
Also the 1994 recipients they gave their winnings to a charity for MS after a friend was found to have the condition.
"Receiving the award was sufficient," remarked singer Heather Small. "The cash was the extra but we could do without the cherry, because we had the main prize. So our victory touched somebody else's life."
Last week, the trust revealed it had saved a couple of grassroots venues in the South East, by bringing them into community ownership.
The first in that area and The Croft in that location were acquired under the community ownership program, which is supported by a national body and supporters who acquire "ownership units" in the buildings.
