Sam Fender has given the complete sum of his £25,000 honor winnings to the Music Venues Trust, which works to save the UK's independent concert spaces.
Fender was awarded the cheque on mid-October as his latest record his work was chosen as the outstanding release of the previous year.
He has decided to give the cash to the Music Venues Trust, in appreciation of the vital role small stages had in his early career.
"I personally couldn't be pursuing my current career if it weren't for all the gigs I did around the region, and further afield, when I was just getting going," remarked Sam Fender. "These spaces are renowned, but they are facing challenges."
Beginning in 2023, at least 150 of these venues have shut down – about 16 percent of the entire UK sector.
In the last year, well-known musicians such as Pulp, the group Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all supported the MVT in its attempts to keep the scene afloat, by including a minor surcharge to their admission fees, which goes to help local stages.
He also took part, raising more than £100,000 on his live tour to help numerous small stages across England, Scotland, and Wales.
These funds assisted locations that were confronting possible closure due to issues stemming from water damage, fires and family tragedies, as well as regulatory hurdles, legal disputes and neighbor objections.
Other venues received financial assistance in modernizing facilities and technical equipment that positively impacted performers and audiences.
"The idea that money from concerts in major spaces backs the independent spots, where it kicks off for artists like me, is just logical," Sam Fender has commented.
Fender is not the first artist to contribute his honor funds to charitable organizations.
When the band won the prize in 1996 for their record their work, vocalist the singer announced that the act would donate their cash to the charity the charity.
In 2002, rapper and singer Ms Dynamite divided her prize among several charities, such as the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell charity.
"I also donated a grand to the center, to their gymnastics program, because I trained in gymnastics when I was a child and they required better apparatus," Ms Dynamite explained to a publication.
Previously, they donated their winnings to the youth organization that nurtured their band, as well as other independent music bodies.
Additionally the 1994 recipients the group contributed their winnings to a charity for MS after a friend was found to have the condition.
"Receiving the award was ample," said vocalist Heather Small. "The money was the cherry on top but we didn't need the cherry, because we had the honor. So our victory touched the lives of others."
Last week, the trust announced it had protected two grassroots venues in south-east England, by transferring them to community ownership.
One venue in Southampton and the second in the city were purchased under the public acquisition scheme, which is supported by Arts Council England and music fans who buy "stakes" in the buildings.
