Sam Fender has given the entirety of his £25,000 honor prize money to the MVT, which operates to preserve the United Kingdom's small live music spots.
Fender was presented with the prize on mid-October as his latest record People Watching was declared the top album of the previous year.
He has opted to hand the money over to the trust, in acknowledgment of the essential function local spots played in his initial steps.
"I would not have achieved this success if it weren't for all the performances I played around the area, and beyond, when I was just getting going," said Sam Fender. "These spaces are renowned, but they are in difficulty."
From early 2023 onward, more than 150 of these locations have ceased operations – about one-sixth of the whole industry in the UK.
In the last year, major artists such as Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all supported the MVT in its efforts to keep the scene afloat, by applying a small levy to their admission fees, which goes to help smaller concert halls.
He also joined in, collecting over £100k on his recent tour to assist numerous grassroots venues across England, Scotland, and Wales.
These funds helped spaces that were facing possible closure due to issues stemming from floods, blazes and family tragedies, as well as licensing issues, court cases and neighbor objections.
Some locations received financial assistance in modernizing amenities and gear that positively impacted performers and concertgoers.
"The notion that funds from performances in big venues backs the independent spots, where it begins for artists like me, is just logical," Sam Fender has stated.
Fender is far from the only musician to give his honor funds to charitable organizations.
When Pulp earned the trophy in the year 1996 for their album their work, vocalist the singer announced that the band would give their prize money to the non-profit War Child.
That year, musician the artist split her award among multiple charities, including the children's charity and a Sickle Cell organization.
"I also contributed a grand to the center, to their gymnastics program, because I did gymnastics when I was a child and they needed updated gear," the artist shared with the media.
Previously, they donated their funds to the community center that developed their group, as well as other independent music bodies.
And winners that year they gave their award to a multiple sclerosis charity after a friend was diagnosed the disease.
"The victory was ample," stated artist Small. "The money was the bonus but we could do without the extra, because we had the main prize. So our victory impacted the lives of others."
In the past week, the trust shared it had rescued a couple of small stages in the South East, by transferring them to public stewardship.
The first in that area and The Croft in that location were purchased under the community ownership initiative, which is funded by Arts Council England and supporters who acquire "stakes" in the properties.
