Sam Fender has handed over the complete sum of his £25k honor prize money to the Music Venues Trust, which functions to preserve the United Kingdom's small music venues.
He was presented with the prize on mid-October as his new release People Watching was named the outstanding release of the last 12 months.
He has chosen to give the cash to the trust, in appreciation of the essential function grassroots venues played in his early career.
"I couldn't be pursuing what I am doing today if it hadn't been for all the shows I did around the region, and further afield, when I was starting out," said Sam Fender. "These venues are iconic, but they are struggling."
Beginning in 2023, more than 150 of these venues have permanently closed – approximately one-sixth of the total UK scene.
In the last year, well-known musicians including Pulp, Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Sheeran have all aided the trust in its attempts to help venues survive, by including a small levy to their ticket prices, which supports independent venues.
He also participated, collecting over £100k on his live tour to assist thirty-eight small stages across Britain.
The donation helped locations that were dealing with imminent closure due to difficulties stemming from floods, blazes and personal losses, as well as permit problems, court cases and sound issues.
Other venues were granted funding support in upgrading infrastructure and sound and lighting systems that directly benefitted musicians and concertgoers.
"The idea that revenue from shows in large arenas helps the local stages, where it kicks off for musicians like me, is just common sense," Sam Fender has stated.
He is among several artists to give his honor funds to good deeds.
When the band won the award in 1996 for their release the album, lead singer Cocker stated that the group would contribute their cash to the non-profit War Child.
In 2002, artist Ms Dynamite divided her bounty between a few charities, such as the children's charity and a Sickle Cell organization.
"I also contributed a £1,000 to my local community centre, to their gymnastics program, because I trained in gymnastics when I was a child and they required better apparatus," she explained to outlets.
Two years ago, Ezra Collective contributed their prize money to the community center that supported their act, as well as other independent music bodies.
And 1994 winners they gave their prize to a multiple sclerosis charity after a acquaintance was identified with the condition.
"The victory was sufficient," stated artist the singer. "The cash was the extra but we didn't require the extra, because we had the honor. So our victory impacted another person's life."
Last week, the Music Venues Trust shared it had saved two small stages in the South East, by placing them under local control.
One venue in Southampton and the other in the city were bought under the Own Our Venues program, which is supported by Arts Council England and enthusiasts who purchase "stakes" in the venues.
