Sam Fender has donated the complete sum of his £25k award prize money to the Music Venues Trust, which works to save the United Kingdom's small music venues.
He was given the cheque on October 16 as his third album his work was chosen as the outstanding release of the last 12 months.
Fender has opted to hand the money over to the Music Venues Trust, in appreciation of the essential function local spots had in his initial steps.
"As an artist wouldn't be doing this success if it weren't for all the performances I did around the area, and further afield, when I was just getting going," remarked Fender. "These locations are iconic, but they are struggling."
Since the start of 2023, more than 150 of these locations have permanently closed – about 16% of the total UK scene.
Over the past year, major artists like the band Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all aided the MVT in its efforts to keep the scene afloat, by including a small levy to their ticket prices, which goes to help smaller concert halls.
Fender also took part, generating over £100k on his recent tour to support 38 small stages across the UK.
The donation assisted locations that were facing possible closure due to difficulties arising from floods, fires and bereavements, as well as permit problems, legal disputes and neighbor objections.
Some locations obtained financial assistance in modernizing amenities and gear that helped artists and concertgoers.
"The concept that funds from concerts in big venues supports the independent spots, where it begins for artists like me, is just sensible," the star has said.
He is not the first artist to give his award winnings to charitable organizations.
In they received the prize in the year 1996 for their record the album, vocalist Cocker declared that the group would donate their winnings to the organization War Child.
During 2002, musician she split her award across several organizations, like the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell organization.
"And I gave a thousand pounds to my local community centre, to their gymnastics class, because I did gymnastics when I was growing up and they required better apparatus," the artist told outlets.
Previously, the band gave their prize money to the community center that nurtured their act, alongside other local music groups.
Additionally 1994 winners the group gave their award to a multiple sclerosis charity after a friend was found to have the disease.
"Winning was ample," remarked vocalist Small. "The prize was the cherry on top but we didn't need the cherry, because we had the cake. So our success impacted somebody else's life."
In the past week, the Music Venues Trust shared it had rescued a couple of local spots in south-east England, by placing them under public stewardship.
The first in that area and The Croft in that location were acquired under the community ownership initiative, which is supported by a national body and music fans who acquire "shares" in the properties.
