Sam Fender has donated the complete sum of his twenty-five thousand pound honor prize money to the Music Venues Trust, which operates to preserve the Britain's grassroots concert spaces.
He was awarded the cheque on October 16 as his new release People Watching was named the outstanding release of the previous year.
He has decided to give the cash to the MVT, in appreciation of the crucial part local spots had in his initial steps.
"I personally would not have achieved my current career if it hadn't been for all the shows I performed around the area, and further afield, when I was just getting going," remarked Fender. "These venues are legendary, but they are struggling."
Beginning in 2023, more than 150 of these locations have ceased operations – roughly 16 percent of the whole industry in the UK.
Over the past year, well-known musicians like the band Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all backed the MVT in its attempts to help venues survive, by including a small levy to their ticket prices, which benefits local stages.
Fender also joined in, raising more than £100,000 on his 2024 arena tour to assist numerous local spots across Britain.
The donation assisted venues that were confronting potential shutdown due to challenges caused by floods, fire incidents and family tragedies, as well as permit problems, court cases and neighbor objections.
Other venues were granted monetary aid in upgrading facilities and technical equipment that helped musicians and audiences.
"The idea that revenue from concerts in major spaces helps the local stages, where it all starts for musicians like me, is just common sense," Sam Fender has stated.
The musician is not the first artist to donate his award winnings to charitable organizations.
When Pulp received the prize in the mid-90s for their album their work, frontman Jarvis Cocker announced that the act would donate their prize money to the non-profit War Child.
That year, artist Ms Dynamite divided her prize among a few good causes, such as the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell organization.
"Additionally, I donated a thousand pounds to Highgate Newtown, to their classes, because I trained in gymnastics when I was younger and they lacked updated gear," she told the media.
Previously, the band gave their funds to the local youth club that supported their band, alongside other local music groups.
Also 1994 winners M People gave their prize to a charity for MS after a acquaintance was found to have the disease.
"Winning was sufficient," remarked artist Small. "The prize was the cherry on top but we could do without the cherry, because we had the honor. So our victory impacted another person's life."
In the past week, the trust shared it had saved several local spots in that region, by placing them under local control.
The first in Southampton and The Croft in that location were bought under the Own Our Venues scheme, which is backed by the arts council and enthusiasts who purchase "shares" in the buildings.
