Sam Fender has donated the full amount of his £25,000 honor winnings to the Music Venues Trust, which works to protect the Britain's small concert spaces.
The star was awarded the cheque on October 16 as his new release the album was chosen as the top album of the past year.
He has decided to donate the funds to the trust, in acknowledgment of the essential function grassroots venues fulfilled in his initial steps.
"I personally couldn't be pursuing what I am doing today if it hadn't been for all the performances I did around the region, and further afield, when I was beginning," remarked Fender. "These locations are renowned, but they are facing challenges."
Since the start of 2023, over 150 of these venues have shut down – about 16 percent of the entire UK sector.
Recently, top acts such as Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Sheeran have all aided the trust in its efforts to help venues survive, by applying a small levy to their ticket prices, which benefits independent venues.
Sam Fender also participated, generating more than £100,000 on his live tour to assist 38 small stages across the UK.
The donation supported locations that were confronting imminent closure due to challenges arising from floods, fire incidents and personal losses, as well as regulatory hurdles, court cases and neighbor objections.
Some locations received funding support in upgrading facilities and technical equipment that directly benefitted artists and audiences.
"The idea that money from performances in large arenas supports the local stages, where it begins for performers like me, is just common sense," Sam Fender has commented.
He is far from the only musician to donate his honor funds to good deeds.
Back when they earned the prize in the mid-90s for their album their work, vocalist Jarvis Cocker announced that the band would donate their winnings to the charity War Child.
That year, rapper and singer the artist divided her bounty across several charities, such as the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell organization.
"And I gave a £1,000 to my local community centre, to their gymnastics program, because I trained in gymnastics when I was younger and they required new equipment," the artist told the media.
Previously, they donated their winnings to the community center that developed their group, in addition to other local music groups.
Additionally the 1994 recipients M People gave their winnings to a MS organization after a close contact was identified with the condition.
"Receiving the award was ample," remarked singer Small. "The prize was the bonus but we didn't need the cherry, because we had the main prize. So our success affected the lives of others."
Last week, the trust shared it had saved two local spots in the South East, by bringing them into public stewardship.
One venue in Southampton and The Croft in Bristol were purchased under the community ownership scheme, which is supported by Arts Council England and supporters who buy "shares" in the venues.
