Sam Fender has donated the entirety of his £25,000 honor prize money to the Music Venues Trust, which works to save the Britain's independent music venues.
The star was presented with the prize on October 16 as his third album his work was declared the outstanding release of the past year.
He has chosen to give the cash to the trust, in acknowledgment of the vital role local spots had in his initial steps.
"I wouldn't be doing this success if it weren't for all the gigs I performed around the region, and further afield, when I was just getting going," remarked Fender. "These locations are legendary, but they are struggling."
Since the start of 2023, at least 150 of these spaces have ceased operations – roughly 16% of the entire UK sector.
Over the past year, top acts including Pulp, the group Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all backed the Music Venues Trust in its efforts to keep the scene afloat, by including a small levy to their ticket costs, which supports independent venues.
He also participated, collecting more than £100,000 on his recent tour to help thirty-eight small stages across the UK.
The donation supported venues that were facing imminent closure due to difficulties stemming from floods, blazes and bereavements, as well as regulatory hurdles, court cases and neighbor objections.
Additional spaces obtained financial assistance in upgrading amenities and gear that helped musicians and audiences.
"The concept that money from performances in large arenas helps the independent spots, where it all starts for performers like me, is just sensible," Fender has stated.
The musician is among several artists to contribute his award prize money to good deeds.
When Pulp earned the award in 1996 for their record their work, vocalist the singer declared that the act would donate their prize money to the organization the charity.
In 2002, rapper and singer she shared her award between several organizations, like the children's charity and a Sickle Cell charity.
"Additionally, I gave a thousand pounds to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics class, because I practiced gymnastics when I was younger and they lacked better apparatus," the artist shared with the media.
Two years ago, they contributed their prize money to the community center that nurtured their band, as well as other grassroots music organisations.
And winners that year they contributed their prize to a charity for MS after a acquaintance was diagnosed the condition.
"Receiving the award was sufficient," stated singer the singer. "The prize was the extra but we didn't need the bonus, because we had the honor. So our victory touched the lives of others."
In the past week, the Music Venues Trust announced it had rescued a couple of small stages in that region, by transferring them to local control.
The first in the city and The Croft in the city were bought under the public acquisition initiative, which is supported by Arts Council England and enthusiasts who buy "ownership units" in the buildings.
