Sam Fender has donated the complete sum of his £25,000 honor winnings to the Music Venues Trust, which functions to save the Britain's independent music venues.
Fender was presented with the cheque on mid-October as his latest record People Watching was chosen as the top album of the last 12 months.
He has decided to hand the money over to the trust, in acknowledgment of the essential function grassroots venues had in his beginning days.
"I personally would not have achieved what I am doing today if it weren't for all the performances I played around the North East, and elsewhere, when I was beginning," remarked Sam Fender. "These venues are legendary, but they are in difficulty."
Beginning in 2023, more than 150 of these locations have ceased operations – roughly 16 percent of the total UK scene.
In the last year, major artists such as the band Pulp, the group Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all backed the trust in its initiatives to support the industry, by adding a small levy to their ticket prices, which benefits smaller concert halls.
Sam Fender also participated, raising more than £100,000 on his live tour to help numerous local spots across Britain.
The donation assisted venues that were facing possible closure due to challenges arising from flooding, blazes and family tragedies, as well as permit problems, legal disputes and neighbor objections.
Other venues were granted funding support in improving facilities and technical equipment that directly benefitted musicians and fans.
"The concept that funds from performances in major spaces supports the smaller venues, where it kicks off for performers like me, is just logical," Sam Fender has stated.
The musician is not the first artist to donate his honor winnings to charitable organizations.
When Pulp received the award in 1996 for their release Different Class, lead singer the singer declared that the group would donate their prize money to the non-profit the charity.
That year, musician Ms Dynamite shared her prize among a few good causes, such as the NSPCC and a charity for Sickle Cell.
"Additionally, I contributed a thousand pounds to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics program, because I did gymnastics when I was younger and they required updated gear," the artist shared with a publication.
Two years ago, the band contributed their prize money to the youth organization that developed their group, as well as other local music groups.
Additionally the 1994 recipients the group contributed their prize to a charity for MS after a acquaintance was diagnosed the condition.
"Winning was quite enough," remarked artist the singer. "The money was the cherry on top but we didn't require the bonus, because we had the cake. So our winning touched the lives of others."
Last week, the Music Venues Trust revealed it had saved several grassroots venues in the South East, by bringing them into public stewardship.
The first in the city and the second in Bristol were acquired under the public acquisition initiative, which is supported by a national body and supporters who purchase "ownership units" in the properties.
