Sam Fender has given the complete sum of his twenty-five thousand pound award prize money to the trust for venues, which works to preserve the United Kingdom's independent live music spots.
The star was presented with the prize on October 16 as his third album the album was named the best record of the last 12 months.
The musician has chosen to donate the funds to the Music Venues Trust, in appreciation of the crucial part grassroots venues had in his early career.
"I personally wouldn't be doing my current career if it wasn't for all the gigs I played around the North East, and further afield, when I was starting out," remarked Sam Fender. "These venues are renowned, but they are facing challenges."
Since the start of 2023, over 150 of these spaces have shut down – about one-sixth of the whole industry in the UK.
In the last year, major artists including Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all backed the MVT in its attempts to help venues survive, by adding a minor surcharge to their ticket prices, which supports independent venues.
Fender also took part, raising in excess of £100,000 on his live tour to assist thirty-eight small stages across England, Scotland, and Wales.
The money assisted spaces that were dealing with imminent closure due to issues stemming from water damage, fire incidents and bereavements, as well as regulatory hurdles, legal disputes and neighbor objections.
Additional spaces obtained financial assistance in upgrading infrastructure and technical equipment that positively impacted artists and concertgoers.
"The idea that funds from performances in large arenas helps the smaller venues, where it kicks off for musicians like me, is just logical," Fender has commented.
The musician is not the first artist to donate his award funds to worthy causes.
In they earned the prize in the year 1996 for their release Different Class, frontman Cocker declared that the band would give their winnings to the charity the charity.
During 2002, rapper and singer the artist divided her bounty across several organizations, including the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell organization.
"And I gave a grand to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics class, because I did gymnastics when I was a child and they lacked updated gear," the artist shared with the media.
Previously, they gave their winnings to the youth organization that developed their act, alongside other local music groups.
Additionally the 1994 recipients they contributed their award to a multiple sclerosis charity after a friend was found to have the disease.
"Winning was sufficient," remarked artist Small. "The money was the bonus but we didn't need the extra, because we had the cake. So our success impacted another person's life."
Recently, the trust revealed it had rescued two small stages in that region, by placing them under community ownership.
The first in the city and the other in Bristol were purchased under the community ownership program, which is supported by Arts Council England and supporters who purchase "stakes" in the buildings.
