Sam Fender has given the complete sum of his twenty-five thousand pound honor prize money to the Music Venues Trust, which functions to protect the Britain's grassroots music venues.
The star was given the prize on October 16 as his latest record his work was declared the outstanding release of the past year.
The musician has opted to give the cash to the MVT, in recognition of the essential function local spots fulfilled in his early career.
"As an artist would not have achieved what I am doing today if it weren't for all the gigs I performed around the area, and further afield, when I was just getting going," said Sam Fender. "These venues are renowned, but they are facing challenges."
From early 2023 onward, over 150 of these venues have permanently closed – approximately one-sixth of the entire UK sector.
Over the past year, major artists such as Pulp, Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Sheeran have all aided the Music Venues Trust in its initiatives to support the industry, by including a small levy to their admission fees, which supports local stages.
Fender also took part, collecting over £100k on his live tour to help thirty-eight grassroots venues across Britain.
These funds helped venues that were dealing with possible closure due to challenges arising from floods, fires and bereavements, as well as permit problems, court cases and sound issues.
Additional spaces obtained funding support in modernizing infrastructure and technical equipment that directly benefitted performers and fans.
"The idea that money from concerts in major spaces backs the local stages, where it begins for performers like me, is just logical," the star has said.
He is among several artists to give his award funds to charitable organizations.
Back when Pulp received the prize in 1996 for their release their work, vocalist Jarvis Cocker stated that the band would contribute their cash to the charity War Child.
In 2002, artist the artist split her prize between multiple organizations, like the children's charity and a Sickle Cell charity.
"And I contributed a thousand pounds to Highgate Newtown, to their classes, because I did gymnastics when I was a child and they required better apparatus," she told outlets.
Two years ago, they donated their funds to the local youth club that developed their band, alongside other grassroots music organisations.
Also 1994 winners the group contributed their prize to a charity for MS after a friend was identified with the illness.
"Winning was ample," said artist Heather Small. "The prize was the bonus but we didn't require the cherry, because we had the cake. So our victory touched somebody else's life."
Recently, the Music Venues Trust announced it had saved several local spots in the South East, by transferring them to public stewardship.
The Joiners in that area and the second in that location were purchased under the public acquisition program, which is supported by Arts Council England and music fans who buy "shares" in the properties.
