Sam Fender has given the entirety of his twenty-five thousand pound award cash to the Music Venues Trust, which works to protect the Britain's independent music venues.
Fender was given the cheque on 16 October as his latest record his work was chosen as the outstanding release of the last 12 months.
The musician has decided to donate the funds to the MVT, in appreciation of the crucial part grassroots venues fulfilled in his initial steps.
"I would not have achieved my current career if it hadn't been for all the gigs I played around the region, and beyond, when I was beginning," stated Fender. "These locations are legendary, but they are in difficulty."
Since the start of 2023, at least 150 of these spaces have ceased operations – roughly 16% of the whole industry in the UK.
In the last year, major artists like Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Sheeran have all supported the trust in its initiatives to help venues survive, by adding a small levy to their ticket prices, which supports independent venues.
Sam Fender also participated, collecting more than £100,000 on his recent tour to assist numerous small stages across Britain.
These funds supported locations that were facing potential shutdown due to issues caused by floods, fires and bereavements, as well as licensing issues, legal disputes and sound issues.
Some locations were granted monetary aid in upgrading infrastructure and sound and lighting systems that directly benefitted musicians and audiences.
"The concept that revenue from performances in large arenas backs the local stages, where it kicks off for musicians like me, is just common sense," Fender has commented.
Fender is not the first artist to give his award winnings to charitable organizations.
In Pulp earned the prize in the year 1996 for their release Different Class, lead singer Jarvis Cocker stated that the group would give their cash to the organization War Child.
During 2002, artist the artist shared her award across a few charities, including the children's charity and a Sickle Cell charity.
"And I gave a grand to the center, to their gymnastics class, because I did gymnastics when I was a child and they lacked better apparatus," the artist shared with outlets.
Previously, they donated their funds to the community center that nurtured their band, as well as other independent music bodies.
Also winners that year the group contributed their winnings to a multiple sclerosis charity after a acquaintance was found to have the condition.
"Winning was ample," stated artist Small. "The money was the bonus but we could do without the bonus, because we had the cake. So our victory affected another person's life."
Recently, the MVT shared it had protected a couple of small stages in south-east England, by placing them under community ownership.
One venue in the city and the other in Bristol were purchased under the public acquisition initiative, which is funded by Arts Council England and supporters who buy "shares" in the buildings.
