Sam Fender has handed over the complete sum of his £25,000 award prize money to the Music Venues Trust, which functions to protect the UK's independent live music spots.
He was presented with the cheque on 16 October as his third album People Watching was declared the best record of the previous year.
The musician has chosen to give the cash to the Music Venues Trust, in acknowledgment of the crucial part grassroots venues fulfilled in his early career.
"As an artist wouldn't be doing what I am doing today if it wasn't for all the shows I played around the area, and further afield, when I was starting out," stated Sam Fender. "These venues are renowned, but they are in difficulty."
Since the start of 2023, more than 150 of these venues have ceased operations – roughly 16 percent of the total UK scene.
In the last year, major artists including Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Sheeran have all backed the Music Venues Trust in its initiatives to help venues survive, by including a modest fee to their ticket costs, which benefits smaller concert halls.
He also took part, collecting more than £100,000 on his 2024 arena tour to support numerous local spots across the UK.
The money assisted spaces that were facing potential shutdown due to challenges arising from water damage, fires and bereavements, as well as permit problems, legal disputes and neighbor objections.
Additional spaces received monetary aid in improving amenities and technical equipment that helped musicians and audiences.
"The concept that money from concerts in major spaces supports the smaller venues, where it all starts for musicians like me, is just logical," Fender has stated.
Fender is among several artists to give his honor funds to worthy causes.
Back when they won the award in 1996 for their record the album, lead singer Jarvis Cocker declared that the group would contribute their winnings to the non-profit War Child.
That year, artist Ms Dynamite divided her award between multiple charities, like the children's charity and a Sickle Cell organization.
"And I donated a thousand pounds to my local community centre, to their gymnastics class, because I did gymnastics when I was growing up and they needed updated gear," Ms Dynamite explained to a publication.
Two years ago, Ezra Collective donated their prize money to the community center that nurtured their act, as well as other independent music bodies.
Additionally the 1994 recipients they contributed their prize to a charity for MS after a close contact was diagnosed the disease.
"Receiving the award was ample," said singer Small. "The money was the bonus but we didn't need the extra, because we had the cake. So our success impacted somebody else's life."
Last week, the trust shared it had rescued several small stages in the South East, by transferring them to public stewardship.
The first in Southampton and The Croft in that location were bought under the public acquisition program, which is supported by a national body and supporters who acquire "shares" in the venues.
