Sam Fender has given the complete sum of his £25,000 award prize money to the MVT, which works to protect the United Kingdom's small music venues.
The star was given the cheque on mid-October as his third album People Watching was chosen as the top album of the past year.
The musician has decided to give the cash to the trust, in recognition of the vital role grassroots venues had in his early career.
"As an artist couldn't be pursuing this success if it weren't for all the gigs I performed around the North East, and elsewhere, when I was just getting going," said Sam Fender. "These venues are renowned, but they are struggling."
From early 2023 onward, over 150 of these locations have permanently closed – approximately 16% of the total UK scene.
Recently, major artists like the band Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all backed the Music Venues Trust in its efforts to help venues survive, by adding a minor surcharge to their admission fees, which supports smaller concert halls.
He also participated, generating more than £100,000 on his 2024 arena tour to support 38 local spots across England, Scotland, and Wales.
The money supported venues that were dealing with possible closure due to issues caused by water damage, blazes and family tragedies, as well as regulatory hurdles, conflicts and sound issues.
Additional spaces obtained funding support in modernizing facilities and technical equipment that positively impacted artists and fans.
"The notion that funds from concerts in major spaces backs the smaller venues, where it all starts for musicians like me, is just common sense," Fender has stated.
He is among several artists to contribute his honor prize money to worthy causes.
When Pulp won the award in the year 1996 for their release the album, vocalist Cocker stated that the act would give their winnings to the non-profit War Child.
In 2002, rapper and singer she shared her prize among several organizations, including the children's charity and a charity for Sickle Cell.
"I also donated a thousand pounds to my local community centre, to their gymnastics class, because I practiced gymnastics when I was a child and they required new equipment," the artist explained to outlets.
Two years ago, Ezra Collective gave their winnings to the youth organization that developed their group, in addition to other local music groups.
Additionally winners that year they donated their winnings to a charity for MS after a close contact was identified with the condition.
"Receiving the award was sufficient," stated artist Small. "The prize was the bonus but we could do without the cherry, because we had the honor. So our winning touched the lives of others."
Recently, the Music Venues Trust shared it had protected several local spots in the South East, by transferring them to community ownership.
One venue in that area and The Croft in that location were bought under the community ownership program, which is backed by a national body and music fans who purchase "stakes" in the venues.
