Sam Fender has handed over the entirety of his twenty-five thousand pound honor winnings to the Music Venues Trust, which operates to preserve the UK's independent music venues.
The star was presented with the prize on October 16 as his latest record the album was chosen as the best record of the last 12 months.
He has chosen to hand the money over to the MVT, in acknowledgment of the essential function local spots played in his beginning days.
"I personally wouldn't be doing what I am doing today if it wasn't for all the shows I played around the North East, and beyond, when I was beginning," stated Fender. "These locations are legendary, but they are in difficulty."
Beginning in 2023, over 150 of these locations have permanently closed – roughly 16% of the total UK scene.
Over the past year, top acts such as Pulp, Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all backed the MVT in its efforts to help venues survive, by applying a minor surcharge to their ticket costs, which supports local stages.
He also joined in, raising over £100k on his recent tour to support thirty-eight grassroots venues across England, Scotland, and Wales.
The donation supported venues that were confronting potential shutdown due to challenges arising from water damage, fire incidents and family tragedies, as well as permit problems, legal disputes and noise complaints.
Other venues obtained financial assistance in modernizing facilities and technical equipment that positively impacted artists and fans.
"The concept that revenue from concerts in large arenas supports the smaller venues, where it all starts for artists like me, is just common sense," the star has said.
The musician is far from the only musician to contribute his award prize money to good deeds.
Back when the band received the prize in 1996 for their release Different Class, lead singer the singer announced that the act would give their winnings to the charity the charity.
That year, artist the artist split her prize among several charities, including the NSPCC and a charity for Sickle Cell.
"Additionally, I gave a £1,000 to the center, to their gymnastics class, because I did gymnastics when I was a child and they required updated gear," she explained to outlets.
Previously, Ezra Collective donated their funds to the youth organization that nurtured their group, alongside other independent music bodies.
And the 1994 recipients they gave their prize to a charity for MS after a close contact was identified with the condition.
"Receiving the award was ample," said singer the singer. "The money was the bonus but we could do without the cherry, because we had the main prize. So our winning touched another person's life."
In the past week, the trust announced it had rescued two small stages in south-east England, by placing them under local control.
The Joiners in that area and the second in the city were acquired under the Own Our Venues scheme, which is funded by Arts Council England and music fans who acquire "shares" in the venues.
