Sam Fender has handed over the complete sum of his £25k honor winnings to the MVT, which works to protect the United Kingdom's small concert spaces.
The star was awarded the prize on October 16 as his new release People Watching was declared the outstanding release of the previous year.
Fender has decided to give the cash to the MVT, in acknowledgment of the crucial part local spots had in his beginning days.
"As an artist couldn't be pursuing my current career if it hadn't been for all the shows I did around the region, and beyond, when I was starting out," remarked Sam Fender. "These locations are legendary, but they are in difficulty."
Since the start of 2023, more than 150 of these locations have ceased operations – roughly one-sixth of the entire UK sector.
In the last year, major artists like Pulp, Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all supported the Music Venues Trust in its initiatives to support the industry, by including a modest fee to their admission fees, which supports independent venues.
He also took part, raising in excess of £100,000 on his live tour to support numerous grassroots venues across England, Scotland, and Wales.
These funds assisted locations that were dealing with possible closure due to issues caused by flooding, fire incidents and bereavements, as well as permit problems, conflicts and neighbor objections.
Other venues were granted financial assistance in upgrading facilities and technical equipment that directly benefitted artists and audiences.
"The idea that revenue from concerts in large arenas supports the local stages, where it all starts for performers like me, is just logical," Sam Fender has commented.
He is far from the only musician to contribute his award winnings to worthy causes.
When the band won the award in 1996 for their record the album, lead singer Jarvis Cocker declared that the group would contribute their cash to the organization War Child.
During 2002, artist the artist split her bounty between multiple charities, such as the NSPCC and a charity for Sickle Cell.
"Additionally, I contributed a grand to my local community centre, to their gymnastics program, because I did gymnastics when I was younger and they needed new equipment," she explained to a publication.
Two years ago, Ezra Collective contributed their funds to the youth organization that supported their band, as well as other grassroots music organisations.
Additionally winners that year they gave their award to a charity for MS after a acquaintance was identified with the illness.
"The victory was ample," stated singer Heather Small. "The prize was the cherry on top but we could do without the extra, because we had the cake. So our winning impacted another person's life."
In the past week, the trust revealed it had saved two small stages in south-east England, by placing them under public stewardship.
The first in that area and the other in the city were acquired under the Own Our Venues initiative, which is funded by Arts Council England and enthusiasts who acquire "ownership units" in the properties.
