Sam Fender has handed over the complete sum of his twenty-five thousand pound award prize money to the Music Venues Trust, which functions to preserve the United Kingdom's grassroots live music spots.
The star was given the cheque on October 16 as his third album his work was named the best record of the last 12 months.
The musician has chosen to donate the funds to the MVT, in appreciation of the vital role local spots had in his early career.
"As an artist couldn't be pursuing my current career if it weren't for all the gigs I played around the area, and elsewhere, when I was just getting going," remarked the artist. "These spaces are renowned, but they are in difficulty."
Beginning in 2023, at least 150 of these spaces have ceased operations – roughly 16% of the total UK scene.
In the last year, well-known musicians including Pulp, the group Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all supported the Music Venues Trust in its efforts to keep the scene afloat, by including a modest fee to their ticket prices, which supports independent venues.
Sam Fender also participated, collecting over £100k on his recent tour to help 38 small stages across England, Scotland, and Wales.
The donation helped locations that were facing possible closure due to challenges arising from water damage, fires and family tragedies, as well as licensing issues, court cases and noise complaints.
Other venues received financial assistance in improving facilities and sound and lighting systems that helped artists and fans.
"The idea that funds from performances in major spaces supports the independent spots, where it kicks off for artists like me, is just logical," Fender has said.
He is not the first artist to donate his award funds to good deeds.
Back when they won the award in the year 1996 for their record the album, vocalist Jarvis Cocker announced that the act would donate their cash to the charity War Child.
During 2002, artist Ms Dynamite shared her bounty among a few organizations, such as the NSPCC and a charity for Sickle Cell.
"Additionally, I contributed a £1,000 to my local community centre, to their gymnastics class, because I practiced gymnastics when I was growing up and they lacked updated gear," she explained to the media.
Previously, they donated their prize money to the youth organization that supported their band, as well as other independent music bodies.
And winners that year they donated their award to a charity for MS after a close contact was diagnosed the condition.
"The victory was sufficient," said artist Heather Small. "The cash was the cherry on top but we could do without the cherry, because we had the main prize. So our success impacted somebody else's life."
Recently, the trust revealed it had protected a couple of small stages in south-east England, by bringing them into local control.
The first in that area and the second in the city were bought under the public acquisition initiative, which is backed by Arts Council England and enthusiasts who purchase "stakes" in the properties.
