Sam Fender has handed over the complete sum of his £25k award cash to the MVT, which functions to save the United Kingdom's small live music spots.
He was presented with the cheque on mid-October as his third album People Watching was declared the best record of the previous year.
He has chosen to hand the money over to the MVT, in appreciation of the essential function local spots fulfilled in his initial steps.
"As an artist couldn't be pursuing this success if it wasn't for all the gigs I played around the region, and beyond, when I was just getting going," stated Sam Fender. "These venues are legendary, but they are struggling."
From early 2023 onward, at least 150 of these locations have permanently closed – approximately 16% of the whole industry in the UK.
Recently, major artists like Pulp, the group Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all aided the Music Venues Trust in its attempts to keep the scene afloat, by applying a minor surcharge to their admission fees, which benefits independent venues.
Fender also joined in, collecting in excess of £100,000 on his 2024 arena tour to support thirty-eight small stages across England, Scotland, and Wales.
The donation helped venues that were facing imminent closure due to difficulties arising from floods, fires and family tragedies, as well as regulatory hurdles, court cases and neighbor objections.
Other venues received funding support in improving facilities and gear that helped performers and fans.
"The notion that revenue from shows in large arenas backs the independent spots, where it all starts for performers like me, is just sensible," the star has said.
He is far from the only musician to give his award funds to worthy causes.
In Pulp earned the award in 1996 for their album the album, lead singer Jarvis Cocker declared that the band would donate their prize money to the charity War Child.
In 2002, artist Ms Dynamite divided her prize between several organizations, such as the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell organization.
"And I donated a thousand pounds to my local community centre, to their gymnastics program, because I did gymnastics when I was a child and they needed new equipment," Ms Dynamite told outlets.
Previously, the band gave their funds to the youth organization that developed their act, in addition to other grassroots music organisations.
Additionally 1994 winners the group donated their prize to a multiple sclerosis charity after a friend was diagnosed the illness.
"The victory was sufficient," remarked singer Heather Small. "The prize was the extra but we could do without the extra, because we had the cake. So our winning touched another person's life."
Last week, the Music Venues Trust announced it had protected two small stages in south-east England, by transferring them to public stewardship.
The first in that area and The Croft in Bristol were bought under the public acquisition initiative, which is funded by the arts council and music fans who purchase "ownership units" in the buildings.
