Sam Fender has given the entirety of his twenty-five thousand pound honor prize money to the Music Venues Trust, which functions to save the UK's grassroots live music spots.
He was given the award on mid-October as his latest record the album was named the top album of the last 12 months.
Fender has opted to give the cash to the Music Venues Trust, in acknowledgment of the vital role small stages played in his early career.
"I would not have achieved this success if it weren't for all the gigs I did around the region, and further afield, when I was just getting going," stated the artist. "These venues are renowned, but they are in difficulty."
Since the start of 2023, over 150 of these spaces have ceased operations – roughly one-sixth of the total UK scene.
Over the past year, major artists such as the band Pulp, the group Coldplay, Katy Perry and Sheeran have all aided the Music Venues Trust in its efforts to support the industry, by applying a modest fee to their admission fees, which goes to help local stages.
Sam Fender also took part, collecting over £100k on his recent tour to assist numerous small stages across England, Scotland, and Wales.
The money assisted spaces that were confronting potential shutdown due to difficulties stemming from flooding, fire incidents and family tragedies, as well as permit problems, conflicts and noise complaints.
Other venues were granted funding support in improving amenities and technical equipment that helped artists and concertgoers.
"The idea that revenue from concerts in major spaces backs the independent spots, where it begins for artists like me, is just logical," the star has commented.
The musician is far from the only musician to contribute his honor funds to charitable organizations.
Back when Pulp earned the award in the mid-90s for their record the album, frontman Jarvis Cocker declared that the group would contribute their prize money to the organization War Child.
In 2002, artist the artist divided her award across a few good causes, like the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell organization.
"I also contributed a thousand pounds to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics program, because I did gymnastics when I was younger and they required better apparatus," Ms Dynamite explained to a publication.
Two years ago, they gave their prize money to the youth organization that supported their group, alongside other local music groups.
And 1994 winners M People gave their prize to a charity for MS after a friend was found to have the condition.
"Winning was ample," remarked vocalist the singer. "The money was the extra but we didn't need the bonus, because we had the cake. So our success touched somebody else's life."
In the past week, the trust shared it had rescued two small stages in the South East, by bringing them into public stewardship.
The first in the city and the second in Bristol were purchased under the public acquisition initiative, which is backed by a national body and supporters who purchase "ownership units" in the venues.
