Sam Fender has donated the complete sum of his twenty-five thousand pound honor prize money to the trust for venues, which operates to protect the UK's independent live music spots.
The star was awarded the cheque on 16 October as his new release the album was chosen as the outstanding release of the last 12 months.
Fender has chosen to give the cash to the Music Venues Trust, in acknowledgment of the vital role grassroots venues had in his beginning days.
"As an artist couldn't be pursuing my current career if it hadn't been for all the gigs I performed around the area, and elsewhere, when I was just getting going," said the artist. "These spaces are legendary, but they are struggling."
From early 2023 onward, more than 150 of these locations have ceased operations – approximately one-sixth of the whole industry in the UK.
In the last year, major artists like Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all supported the trust in its efforts to support the industry, by including a minor surcharge to their ticket costs, which benefits smaller concert halls.
He also joined in, generating in excess of £100,000 on his recent tour to assist numerous grassroots venues across the UK.
The donation supported venues that were dealing with possible closure due to issues arising from water damage, blazes and family tragedies, as well as licensing issues, legal disputes and noise complaints.
Some locations received funding support in improving amenities and gear that helped musicians and concertgoers.
"The concept that revenue from performances in big venues backs the smaller venues, where it all starts for performers like me, is just sensible," Fender has stated.
The musician is among several artists to donate his honor prize money to good deeds.
When Pulp won the award in the year 1996 for their album the album, lead singer Cocker stated that the act would give their cash to the organization the charity.
In 2002, musician the artist shared her bounty across a few organizations, such as the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell charity.
"I also gave a thousand pounds to my local community centre, to their gymnastics class, because I trained in gymnastics when I was growing up and they required updated gear," the artist explained to a publication.
In recent years, they gave their prize money to the local youth club that nurtured their act, as well as other grassroots music organisations.
Also 1994 winners the group contributed their prize to a multiple sclerosis charity after a acquaintance was found to have the condition.
"Winning was quite enough," remarked vocalist Small. "The money was the cherry on top but we didn't need the cherry, because we had the main prize. So our winning touched somebody else's life."
In the past week, the MVT shared it had protected two small stages in that region, by bringing them into local control.
The first in the city and the other in that location were purchased under the community ownership scheme, which is backed by the arts council and music fans who acquire "ownership units" in the venues.
