Sam Fender has handed over the complete sum of his £25,000 award prize money to the MVT, which works to preserve the United Kingdom's small concert spaces.
He was given the cheque on 16 October as his third album his work was named the outstanding release of the last 12 months.
Fender has opted to give the cash to the MVT, in appreciation of the essential function small stages had in his early career.
"As an artist couldn't be pursuing what I am doing today if it wasn't for all the shows I played around the region, and further afield, when I was starting out," said Fender. "These venues are iconic, but they are struggling."
From early 2023 onward, at least 150 of these locations have shut down – roughly one-sixth of the total UK scene.
In the last year, well-known musicians such as Pulp, the group Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all aided the Music Venues Trust in its attempts to help venues survive, by adding a minor surcharge to their ticket costs, which goes to help independent venues.
He also participated, generating over £100k on his 2024 arena tour to help thirty-eight small stages across Britain.
These funds helped locations that were facing potential shutdown due to issues arising from floods, fire incidents and family tragedies, as well as permit problems, court cases and neighbor objections.
Other venues were granted funding support in upgrading infrastructure and technical equipment that positively impacted musicians and fans.
"The concept that revenue from performances in major spaces backs the local stages, where it begins for performers like me, is just sensible," the star has stated.
The musician is far from the only musician to contribute his award prize money to charitable organizations.
Back when Pulp received the award in the year 1996 for their release Different Class, frontman Jarvis Cocker declared that the act would contribute their winnings to the organization the charity.
In 2002, artist Ms Dynamite divided her bounty among several good causes, such as the children's charity and a charity for Sickle Cell.
"Additionally, I contributed a £1,000 to my local community centre, to their gymnastics program, because I practiced gymnastics when I was a child and they lacked updated gear," she shared with a publication.
Previously, Ezra Collective donated their funds to the community center that developed their band, alongside other grassroots music organisations.
And the 1994 recipients the group gave their winnings to a charity for MS after a acquaintance was diagnosed the disease.
"The victory was ample," remarked artist the singer. "The cash was the cherry on top but we didn't need the cherry, because we had the main prize. So our winning impacted somebody else's life."
Recently, the MVT shared it had rescued several grassroots venues in the South East, by bringing them into public stewardship.
One venue in the city and the second in that location were purchased under the public acquisition initiative, which is supported by the arts council and enthusiasts who purchase "ownership units" in the buildings.
