Sam Fender has given the entirety of his £25,000 award prize money to the trust for venues, which works to save the UK's small concert spaces.
He was presented with the prize on mid-October as his third album People Watching was declared the top album of the previous year.
Fender has opted to hand the money over to the MVT, in appreciation of the vital role small stages played in his early career.
"I personally would not have achieved what I am doing today if it wasn't for all the gigs I performed around the area, and elsewhere, when I was just getting going," stated the artist. "These spaces are renowned, but they are in difficulty."
Since the start of 2023, at least 150 of these spaces have permanently closed – roughly one-sixth of the whole industry in the UK.
In the last year, top acts like Pulp, Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all supported the MVT in its attempts to help venues survive, by including a minor surcharge to their ticket prices, which benefits smaller concert halls.
Fender also took part, generating over £100k on his live tour to support 38 grassroots venues across England, Scotland, and Wales.
The money supported venues that were confronting imminent closure due to difficulties stemming from flooding, fires and bereavements, as well as permit problems, court cases and sound issues.
Additional spaces obtained financial assistance in modernizing amenities and gear that helped artists and audiences.
"The idea that funds from performances in large arenas helps the smaller venues, where it kicks off for performers like me, is just common sense," Fender has commented.
The musician is among several artists to donate his honor winnings to charitable organizations.
When Pulp won the prize in the year 1996 for their album the album, frontman Jarvis Cocker declared that the group would contribute their winnings to the organization War Child.
During 2002, musician she split her prize between a few good causes, such as the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell organization.
"And I donated a thousand pounds to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics program, because I did gymnastics when I was growing up and they required updated gear," she explained to a publication.
Previously, they donated their prize money to the community center that developed their band, in addition to other local music groups.
And 1994 winners M People contributed their winnings to a multiple sclerosis charity after a friend was diagnosed the illness.
"Receiving the award was ample," said vocalist the singer. "The money was the bonus but we didn't require the cherry, because we had the honor. So our winning affected the lives of others."
Recently, the trust shared it had saved a couple of grassroots venues in the South East, by transferring them to local control.
The Joiners in the city and the other in that location were purchased under the Own Our Venues scheme, which is supported by a national body and music fans who buy "shares" in the buildings.
