Sam Fender has handed over the entirety of his twenty-five thousand pound honor winnings to the Music Venues Trust, which operates to protect the Britain's small concert spaces.
The star was presented with the cheque on mid-October as his new release the album was chosen as the outstanding release of the past year.
Fender has decided to hand the money over to the MVT, in recognition of the vital role small stages fulfilled in his initial steps.
"As an artist would not have achieved what I am doing today if it wasn't for all the performances I performed around the region, and beyond, when I was just getting going," stated the artist. "These venues are renowned, but they are facing challenges."
Since the start of 2023, at least 150 of these spaces have permanently closed – about 16 percent of the total UK scene.
Over the past year, top acts including the band Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Sheeran have all aided the trust in its efforts to keep the scene afloat, by including a modest fee to their ticket costs, which benefits independent venues.
Sam Fender also participated, raising more than £100,000 on his recent tour to support 38 grassroots venues across Britain.
The donation assisted locations that were facing imminent closure due to difficulties stemming from flooding, blazes and personal losses, as well as permit problems, conflicts and sound issues.
Some locations obtained funding support in modernizing amenities and sound and lighting systems that directly benefitted musicians and fans.
"The notion that revenue from performances in large arenas helps the smaller venues, where it kicks off for musicians like me, is just sensible," Sam Fender has said.
Fender is not the first artist to give his award prize money to worthy causes.
Back when the band received the award in the year 1996 for their album the album, vocalist Cocker stated that the act would contribute their prize money to the non-profit the charity.
That year, musician the artist split her award among several good causes, like the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell organization.
"I also contributed a grand to the center, to their gymnastics program, because I practiced gymnastics when I was a child and they needed updated gear," the artist explained to a publication.
Previously, they gave their funds to the youth organization that developed their band, in addition to other independent music bodies.
Additionally the 1994 recipients M People gave their winnings to a charity for MS after a close contact was identified with the illness.
"Receiving the award was quite enough," stated vocalist Small. "The money was the extra but we could do without the extra, because we had the main prize. So our victory affected another person's life."
Recently, the MVT announced it had saved two grassroots venues in south-east England, by transferring them to local control.
The first in that area and the other in that location were purchased under the community ownership program, which is supported by the arts council and enthusiasts who buy "shares" in the venues.
