Sam Fender has given the full amount of his twenty-five thousand pound award cash to the MVT, which operates to preserve the United Kingdom's independent live music spots.
Fender was awarded the prize on mid-October as his new release the album was chosen as the outstanding release of the last 12 months.
The musician has decided to donate the funds to the trust, in acknowledgment of the essential function local spots fulfilled in his beginning days.
"I would not have achieved this success if it weren't for all the gigs I played around the region, and further afield, when I was beginning," said Sam Fender. "These locations are renowned, but they are struggling."
Beginning in 2023, more than 150 of these venues have ceased operations – roughly one-sixth of the entire UK sector.
Recently, major artists including the band Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all backed the Music Venues Trust in its efforts to keep the scene afloat, by applying a modest fee to their ticket costs, which benefits independent venues.
Sam Fender also joined in, raising more than £100,000 on his recent tour to support thirty-eight grassroots venues across England, Scotland, and Wales.
These funds helped locations that were facing possible closure due to difficulties caused by water damage, fire incidents and bereavements, as well as licensing issues, legal disputes and sound issues.
Other venues obtained funding support in modernizing infrastructure and gear that directly benefitted artists and fans.
"The idea that revenue from shows in big venues supports the independent spots, where it all starts for artists like me, is just common sense," Fender has stated.
The musician is not the first artist to give his award funds to good deeds.
When Pulp won the award in the mid-90s for their album their work, lead singer the singer announced that the act would donate their winnings to the organization War Child.
That year, rapper and singer she split her prize across a few organizations, like the NSPCC and a charity for Sickle Cell.
"And I donated a £1,000 to my local community centre, to their gymnastics class, because I trained in gymnastics when I was a child and they needed updated gear," the artist explained to a publication.
Previously, Ezra Collective gave their winnings to the local youth club that supported their act, alongside other independent music bodies.
And the 1994 recipients M People contributed their award to a MS organization after a acquaintance was identified with the condition.
"Receiving the award was ample," said artist Heather Small. "The cash was the extra but we didn't require the extra, because we had the cake. So our winning impacted the lives of others."
In the past week, the trust revealed it had saved several local spots in the South East, by transferring them to public stewardship.
One venue in Southampton and The Croft in the city were purchased under the public acquisition scheme, which is backed by the arts council and enthusiasts who buy "ownership units" in the venues.
