Sam Fender has donated the full amount of his twenty-five thousand pound award prize money to the trust for venues, which functions to preserve the UK's independent live music spots.
Fender was awarded the prize on mid-October as his latest record the album was chosen as the outstanding release of the past year.
The musician has opted to give the cash to the Music Venues Trust, in acknowledgment of the essential function small stages fulfilled in his beginning days.
"I personally couldn't be pursuing what I am doing today if it wasn't for all the shows I performed around the area, and beyond, when I was beginning," stated Sam Fender. "These spaces are legendary, but they are struggling."
Beginning in 2023, over 150 of these locations have ceased operations – about 16 percent of the total UK scene.
In the last year, well-known musicians like the band Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all backed the MVT in its attempts to help venues survive, by applying a small levy to their ticket prices, which benefits independent venues.
He also participated, collecting over £100k on his 2024 arena tour to help 38 local spots across Britain.
The donation assisted locations that were dealing with imminent closure due to difficulties stemming from floods, blazes and personal losses, as well as permit problems, court cases and neighbor objections.
Additional spaces obtained financial assistance in modernizing amenities and technical equipment that helped performers and fans.
"The concept that funds from performances in large arenas backs the local stages, where it kicks off for artists like me, is just common sense," Sam Fender has stated.
Fender is not the first artist to give his award winnings to good deeds.
When the band won the award in the mid-90s for their release their work, lead singer Jarvis Cocker stated that the band would contribute their winnings to the charity War Child.
During 2002, musician the artist split her bounty across a few charities, like the children's charity and a Sickle Cell charity.
"Additionally, I contributed a £1,000 to the center, to their gymnastics program, because I practiced gymnastics when I was younger and they lacked new equipment," the artist explained to a publication.
Two years ago, Ezra Collective donated their winnings to the local youth club that developed their group, in addition to other independent music bodies.
Additionally 1994 winners they contributed their prize to a multiple sclerosis charity after a acquaintance was diagnosed the disease.
"Receiving the award was quite enough," remarked artist Small. "The cash was the cherry on top but we could do without the cherry, because we had the main prize. So our winning touched somebody else's life."
Recently, the MVT shared it had protected a couple of small stages in south-east England, by placing them under community ownership.
One venue in that area and the other in the city were acquired under the public acquisition program, which is backed by the arts council and enthusiasts who purchase "ownership units" in the properties.
