Sam Fender has handed over the complete sum of his twenty-five thousand pound honor winnings to the Music Venues Trust, which functions to save the UK's independent music venues.
He was awarded the prize on mid-October as his latest record People Watching was declared the best record of the last 12 months.
The musician has decided to give the cash to the trust, in acknowledgment of the vital role small stages fulfilled in his early career.
"I wouldn't be doing this success if it hadn't been for all the gigs I performed around the area, and elsewhere, when I was beginning," stated Sam Fender. "These locations are iconic, but they are in difficulty."
Beginning in 2023, over 150 of these locations have ceased operations – roughly 16% of the entire UK sector.
In the last year, well-known musicians including the band Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all backed the MVT in its efforts to support the industry, by including a modest fee to their ticket costs, which supports local stages.
He also participated, collecting over £100k on his recent tour to help thirty-eight grassroots venues across the UK.
The donation assisted venues that were confronting imminent closure due to difficulties caused by flooding, blazes and bereavements, as well as permit problems, court cases and noise complaints.
Some locations received monetary aid in improving amenities and technical equipment that helped artists and concertgoers.
"The notion that revenue from shows in large arenas helps the independent spots, where it kicks off for musicians like me, is just sensible," Sam Fender has commented.
He is among several artists to donate his honor prize money to worthy causes.
When they received the award in the mid-90s for their album their work, frontman Cocker stated that the act would donate their winnings to the non-profit War Child.
That year, rapper and singer the artist divided her award between multiple organizations, like the NSPCC and a charity for Sickle Cell.
"And I donated a £1,000 to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics class, because I trained in gymnastics when I was growing up and they lacked better apparatus," Ms Dynamite shared with the media.
Previously, Ezra Collective gave their prize money to the youth organization that nurtured their group, alongside other grassroots music organisations.
Also winners that year M People gave their award to a charity for MS after a acquaintance was diagnosed the condition.
"Winning was quite enough," stated vocalist Small. "The prize was the bonus but we didn't need the cherry, because we had the main prize. So our winning impacted the lives of others."
Recently, the MVT revealed it had rescued a couple of local spots in south-east England, by bringing them into public stewardship.
One venue in that area and the other in the city were bought under the public acquisition initiative, which is supported by the arts council and enthusiasts who acquire "ownership units" in the properties.
