Sam Fender has handed over the full amount of his twenty-five thousand pound award prize money to the Music Venues Trust, which operates to protect the United Kingdom's independent live music spots.
Fender was given the prize on 16 October as his new release People Watching was chosen as the top album of the last 12 months.
The musician has decided to hand the money over to the Music Venues Trust, in appreciation of the vital role grassroots venues had in his initial steps.
"I personally would not have achieved this success if it wasn't for all the performances I played around the area, and elsewhere, when I was starting out," remarked Sam Fender. "These venues are iconic, but they are struggling."
From early 2023 onward, at least 150 of these spaces have permanently closed – about one-sixth of the entire UK sector.
Recently, well-known musicians such as Pulp, Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Sheeran have all aided the trust in its initiatives to help venues survive, by adding a minor surcharge to their ticket prices, which supports independent venues.
Sam Fender also participated, raising more than £100,000 on his recent tour to assist numerous small stages across England, Scotland, and Wales.
The money helped locations that were dealing with possible closure due to challenges arising from flooding, blazes and personal losses, as well as regulatory hurdles, legal disputes and sound issues.
Some locations were granted funding support in improving amenities and gear that positively impacted performers and concertgoers.
"The idea that revenue from performances in major spaces supports the local stages, where it begins for performers like me, is just common sense," Sam Fender has commented.
Fender is not the first artist to give his award winnings to charitable organizations.
Back when Pulp earned the trophy in the mid-90s for their record their work, vocalist Cocker announced that the band would contribute their winnings to the non-profit the charity.
In 2002, artist Ms Dynamite split her prize among multiple good causes, including the children's charity and a Sickle Cell charity.
"I also contributed a thousand pounds to the center, to their gymnastics class, because I trained in gymnastics when I was a child and they needed new equipment," she shared with outlets.
Previously, Ezra Collective gave their winnings to the community center that nurtured their group, as well as other grassroots music organisations.
Also the 1994 recipients the group donated their award to a MS organization after a close contact was diagnosed the illness.
"Receiving the award was ample," stated vocalist Small. "The prize was the bonus but we could do without the cherry, because we had the main prize. So our victory affected the lives of others."
Recently, the Music Venues Trust revealed it had saved several grassroots venues in that region, by placing them under community ownership.
The first in Southampton and the other in that location were purchased under the community ownership program, which is funded by the arts council and supporters who acquire "shares" in the venues.
