The star has handed over the entirety of his £25k honor winnings to the MVT, which functions to preserve the UK's independent concert spaces.
The star was awarded the cheque on mid-October as his latest record the album was chosen as the outstanding release of the previous year.
The musician has opted to hand the money over to the trust, in recognition of the essential function local spots had in his beginning days.
"I wouldn't be doing my current career if it weren't for all the gigs I did around the area, and further afield, when I was starting out," stated the artist. "These spaces are renowned, but they are struggling."
From early 2023 onward, over 150 of these spaces have shut down – about one-sixth of the whole industry in the UK.
Over the past year, major artists such as Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all backed the MVT in its attempts to help venues survive, by including a minor surcharge to their ticket prices, which goes to help local stages.
Sam Fender also participated, generating over £100k on his 2024 arena tour to assist 38 grassroots venues across England, Scotland, and Wales.
The donation supported venues that were dealing with imminent closure due to challenges caused by flooding, fires and personal losses, as well as licensing issues, conflicts and neighbor objections.
Some locations were granted funding support in upgrading amenities and gear that positively impacted performers and audiences.
"The concept that revenue from shows in large arenas helps the smaller venues, where it kicks off for artists like me, is just common sense," the star has stated.
He is among several artists to donate his honor funds to good deeds.
In they earned the award in 1996 for their album Different Class, lead singer Jarvis Cocker stated that the act would give their cash to the organization War Child.
In 2002, musician she shared her prize across a few organizations, including the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell charity.
"Additionally, I contributed a £1,000 to my local community centre, to their gymnastics class, because I did gymnastics when I was younger and they lacked new equipment," the artist explained to outlets.
In recent years, Ezra Collective donated their winnings to the youth organization that nurtured their group, as well as other independent music bodies.
Also winners that year they gave their prize to a multiple sclerosis charity after a friend was identified with the disease.
"Winning was ample," stated artist Heather Small. "The prize was the cherry on top but we could do without the cherry, because we had the honor. So our victory affected another person's life."
In the past week, the trust shared it had saved two small stages in south-east England, by transferring them to local control.
One venue in that area and the other in that location were purchased under the Own Our Venues initiative, which is funded by the arts council and supporters who buy "ownership units" in the properties.
