Sam Fender has given the entirety of his £25,000 honor winnings to the trust for venues, which works to preserve the United Kingdom's grassroots live music spots.
Fender was given the cheque on October 16 as his latest record his work was named the top album of the past year.
The musician has opted to donate the funds to the MVT, in acknowledgment of the essential function small stages had in his initial steps.
"As an artist would not have achieved my current career if it wasn't for all the performances I played around the region, and further afield, when I was starting out," said the artist. "These locations are legendary, but they are in difficulty."
Since the start of 2023, more than 150 of these venues have ceased operations – approximately one-sixth of the total UK scene.
Over the past year, top acts like Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all supported the MVT in its attempts to support the industry, by adding a small levy to their ticket prices, which benefits local stages.
Fender also participated, raising over £100k on his recent tour to help numerous local spots across the UK.
The money assisted venues that were facing possible closure due to issues arising from water damage, fire incidents and personal losses, as well as licensing issues, conflicts and neighbor objections.
Other venues received financial assistance in modernizing infrastructure and gear that positively impacted musicians and fans.
"The idea that money from performances in big venues supports the independent spots, where it kicks off for musicians like me, is just common sense," the star has stated.
Fender is far from the only musician to donate his honor winnings to good deeds.
Back when Pulp won the award in the mid-90s for their release their work, frontman the singer stated that the act would donate their winnings to the non-profit War Child.
That year, musician she divided her prize across a few organizations, such as the NSPCC and a charity for Sickle Cell.
"I also gave a grand to Highgate Newtown, to their classes, because I trained in gymnastics when I was growing up and they lacked better apparatus," she told the media.
Previously, they donated their prize money to the community center that developed their act, in addition to other grassroots music organisations.
And winners that year they contributed their prize to a MS organization after a acquaintance was diagnosed the condition.
"Receiving the award was sufficient," remarked artist Heather Small. "The money was the extra but we didn't need the extra, because we had the cake. So our victory affected somebody else's life."
Recently, the MVT revealed it had saved a couple of grassroots venues in south-east England, by bringing them into public stewardship.
The Joiners in that area and The Croft in that location were bought under the community ownership program, which is backed by a national body and supporters who acquire "stakes" in the properties.
