Sam Fender has handed over the entirety of his twenty-five thousand pound award prize money to the Music Venues Trust, which functions to save the Britain's independent music venues.
He was given the prize on 16 October as his new release the album was declared the top album of the last 12 months.
Fender has opted to give the cash to the Music Venues Trust, in acknowledgment of the crucial part grassroots venues had in his early career.
"I personally wouldn't be doing my current career if it weren't for all the performances I performed around the area, and beyond, when I was just getting going," remarked the artist. "These spaces are legendary, but they are facing challenges."
Since the start of 2023, over 150 of these venues have shut down – approximately 16 percent of the whole industry in the UK.
Over the past year, major artists including Pulp, Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all supported the MVT in its efforts to keep the scene afloat, by adding a modest fee to their admission fees, which supports local stages.
Sam Fender also participated, generating in excess of £100,000 on his 2024 arena tour to support 38 small stages across England, Scotland, and Wales.
These funds assisted spaces that were confronting imminent closure due to issues caused by floods, fire incidents and personal losses, as well as permit problems, legal disputes and neighbor objections.
Additional spaces received funding support in modernizing facilities and gear that directly benefitted artists and fans.
"The concept that money from concerts in big venues helps the smaller venues, where it begins for performers like me, is just common sense," Fender has commented.
The musician is far from the only musician to give his award winnings to good deeds.
Back when they received the award in the mid-90s for their record Different Class, frontman the singer stated that the act would contribute their winnings to the organization the charity.
That year, artist the artist split her bounty among multiple good causes, such as the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell charity.
"Additionally, I contributed a £1,000 to the center, to their classes, because I practiced gymnastics when I was a child and they needed better apparatus," the artist told outlets.
Two years ago, Ezra Collective gave their prize money to the youth organization that developed their group, in addition to other local music groups.
Additionally winners that year they contributed their winnings to a MS organization after a friend was found to have the condition.
"The victory was sufficient," remarked artist Small. "The cash was the bonus but we didn't need the extra, because we had the main prize. So our winning touched somebody else's life."
Recently, the trust revealed it had rescued two small stages in that region, by placing them under local control.
The Joiners in Southampton and the second in Bristol were bought under the public acquisition program, which is supported by the arts council and supporters who purchase "stakes" in the buildings.
