Sam Fender has donated the complete sum of his £25,000 award prize money to the Music Venues Trust, which works to preserve the United Kingdom's grassroots concert spaces.
The star was given the prize on 16 October as his third album People Watching was chosen as the outstanding release of the previous year.
The musician has chosen to hand the money over to the MVT, in appreciation of the essential function local spots fulfilled in his initial steps.
"I would not have achieved what I am doing today if it wasn't for all the gigs I did around the North East, and further afield, when I was beginning," remarked Fender. "These spaces are renowned, but they are in difficulty."
Since the start of 2023, at least 150 of these spaces have ceased operations – about 16% of the total UK scene.
Recently, major artists including Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all backed the Music Venues Trust in its efforts to keep the scene afloat, by adding a small levy to their ticket costs, which goes to help local stages.
Fender also took part, generating more than £100,000 on his recent tour to support 38 small stages across the UK.
These funds helped venues that were dealing with imminent closure due to issues stemming from water damage, blazes and family tragedies, as well as regulatory hurdles, court cases and neighbor objections.
Some locations were granted funding support in improving infrastructure and technical equipment that positively impacted performers and concertgoers.
"The notion that money from shows in large arenas supports the smaller venues, where it kicks off for artists like me, is just logical," Fender has commented.
The musician is among several artists to give his honor prize money to good deeds.
In Pulp won the prize in 1996 for their release Different Class, frontman Jarvis Cocker announced that the band would give their cash to the non-profit the charity.
In 2002, rapper and singer she shared her bounty between several charities, like the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell charity.
"And I contributed a £1,000 to Highgate Newtown, to their classes, because I practiced gymnastics when I was younger and they lacked updated gear," she explained to the media.
In recent years, the band gave their winnings to the youth organization that developed their group, in addition to other grassroots music organisations.
Additionally the 1994 recipients they gave their winnings to a multiple sclerosis charity after a acquaintance was found to have the condition.
"Receiving the award was sufficient," remarked artist the singer. "The prize was the cherry on top but we could do without the extra, because we had the honor. So our victory affected the lives of others."
Recently, the MVT revealed it had protected a couple of small stages in south-east England, by bringing them into public stewardship.
The first in that area and The Croft in the city were purchased under the public acquisition initiative, which is funded by Arts Council England and music fans who buy "ownership units" in the buildings.
