Sam Fender has donated the full amount of his £25k honor prize money to the Music Venues Trust, which operates to protect the UK's independent live music spots.
He was awarded the cheque on 16 October as his third album People Watching was named the outstanding release of the last 12 months.
Fender has decided to give the cash to the Music Venues Trust, in acknowledgment of the essential function grassroots venues fulfilled in his beginning days.
"As an artist would not have achieved my current career if it wasn't for all the performances I played around the area, and elsewhere, when I was beginning," remarked the artist. "These locations are renowned, but they are struggling."
From early 2023 onward, more than 150 of these locations have ceased operations – roughly 16 percent of the whole industry in the UK.
In the last year, major artists including the band Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all backed the Music Venues Trust in its initiatives to support the industry, by including a modest fee to their ticket prices, which supports independent venues.
Sam Fender also joined in, collecting over £100k on his recent tour to help numerous local spots across Britain.
The money supported locations that were dealing with possible closure due to difficulties stemming from flooding, fire incidents and family tragedies, as well as regulatory hurdles, conflicts and neighbor objections.
Some locations were granted funding support in improving amenities and technical equipment that helped performers and audiences.
"The concept that revenue from shows in large arenas helps the smaller venues, where it all starts for artists like me, is just logical," Fender has stated.
The musician is far from the only musician to donate his honor prize money to good deeds.
When the band received the trophy in the mid-90s for their release their work, vocalist the singer declared that the act would give their winnings to the organization War Child.
In 2002, artist Ms Dynamite shared her prize among multiple good causes, like the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell charity.
"And I gave a thousand pounds to my local community centre, to their gymnastics program, because I did gymnastics when I was a child and they needed updated gear," Ms Dynamite shared with a publication.
Previously, the band gave their funds to the community center that supported their band, in addition to other local music groups.
Also the 1994 recipients the group donated their prize to a multiple sclerosis charity after a acquaintance was identified with the illness.
"Receiving the award was sufficient," stated vocalist the singer. "The money was the cherry on top but we didn't need the cherry, because we had the main prize. So our success affected somebody else's life."
Last week, the MVT revealed it had protected two local spots in that region, by transferring them to community ownership.
One venue in Southampton and The Croft in that location were bought under the community ownership program, which is backed by Arts Council England and enthusiasts who acquire "stakes" in the venues.
