Sam Fender has donated the complete sum of his £25,000 honor cash to the Music Venues Trust, which operates to save the United Kingdom's grassroots concert spaces.
The star was given the cheque on October 16 as his third album the album was chosen as the outstanding release of the previous year.
Fender has chosen to donate the funds to the Music Venues Trust, in appreciation of the crucial part grassroots venues played in his beginning days.
"I personally would not have achieved this success if it weren't for all the performances I did around the region, and further afield, when I was beginning," said the artist. "These locations are iconic, but they are in difficulty."
Beginning in 2023, at least 150 of these venues have permanently closed – approximately 16% of the whole industry in the UK.
Over the past year, top acts like Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Sheeran have all supported the trust in its efforts to keep the scene afloat, by applying a small levy to their ticket prices, which goes to help smaller concert halls.
Sam Fender also took part, raising over £100k on his 2024 arena tour to support 38 small stages across the UK.
The money helped spaces that were confronting potential shutdown due to challenges caused by floods, fires and family tragedies, as well as licensing issues, court cases and noise complaints.
Other venues were granted monetary aid in modernizing amenities and sound and lighting systems that helped performers and audiences.
"The idea that revenue from concerts in big venues helps the local stages, where it kicks off for musicians like me, is just logical," the star has stated.
Fender is among several artists to give his honor winnings to charitable organizations.
When they won the award in the mid-90s for their album the album, vocalist Cocker declared that the group would give their cash to the organization War Child.
That year, musician Ms Dynamite shared her bounty across multiple organizations, like the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell charity.
"I also donated a thousand pounds to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics program, because I trained in gymnastics when I was a child and they lacked new equipment," she told a publication.
Two years ago, they donated their prize money to the local youth club that nurtured their band, alongside other independent music bodies.
Also the 1994 recipients the group donated their award to a multiple sclerosis charity after a acquaintance was found to have the disease.
"The victory was ample," stated vocalist Heather Small. "The cash was the bonus but we didn't need the bonus, because we had the main prize. So our success touched the lives of others."
Last week, the Music Venues Trust revealed it had rescued two grassroots venues in the South East, by transferring them to community ownership.
The Joiners in that area and the other in Bristol were bought under the public acquisition scheme, which is supported by the arts council and enthusiasts who buy "stakes" in the buildings.
