Sam Fender has handed over the entirety of his £25,000 award winnings to the Music Venues Trust, which operates to preserve the United Kingdom's small music venues.
The star was given the prize on mid-October as his latest record the album was chosen as the best record of the past year.
The musician has chosen to hand the money over to the MVT, in acknowledgment of the crucial part grassroots venues played in his initial steps.
"I personally wouldn't be doing my current career if it weren't for all the gigs I did around the North East, and elsewhere, when I was just getting going," stated Fender. "These spaces are iconic, but they are in difficulty."
Beginning in 2023, over 150 of these locations have shut down – approximately one-sixth of the entire UK sector.
In the last year, well-known musicians such as the band Pulp, Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Sheeran have all supported the MVT in its initiatives to keep the scene afloat, by applying a small levy to their ticket costs, which supports smaller concert halls.
Fender also took part, raising over £100k on his live tour to assist 38 small stages across the UK.
The money helped locations that were facing potential shutdown due to issues stemming from flooding, blazes and bereavements, as well as permit problems, conflicts and noise complaints.
Other venues were granted funding support in improving facilities and technical equipment that helped performers and fans.
"The concept that funds from concerts in big venues helps the smaller venues, where it all starts for musicians like me, is just logical," Fender has commented.
Fender is among several artists to donate his honor winnings to charitable organizations.
In the band won the prize in the mid-90s for their release the album, lead singer Cocker stated that the act would contribute their prize money to the charity the charity.
In 2002, musician she divided her award between multiple good causes, like the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell charity.
"Additionally, I contributed a £1,000 to my local community centre, to their gymnastics program, because I did gymnastics when I was a child and they needed better apparatus," Ms Dynamite told a publication.
Two years ago, Ezra Collective gave their winnings to the community center that developed their band, in addition to other grassroots music organisations.
And winners that year M People contributed their prize to a multiple sclerosis charity after a close contact was identified with the disease.
"Winning was ample," remarked vocalist Small. "The money was the extra but we didn't need the cherry, because we had the honor. So our victory impacted the lives of others."
Last week, the Music Venues Trust announced it had saved two local spots in the South East, by bringing them into local control.
The Joiners in the city and the other in that location were purchased under the Own Our Venues program, which is funded by Arts Council England and enthusiasts who buy "stakes" in the properties.
