Sam Fender has given the complete sum of his twenty-five thousand pound honor prize money to the Music Venues Trust, which operates to preserve the United Kingdom's grassroots concert spaces.
Fender was given the cheque on October 16 as his new release People Watching was chosen as the best record of the previous year.
He has chosen to hand the money over to the Music Venues Trust, in acknowledgment of the crucial part grassroots venues fulfilled in his initial steps.
"I personally couldn't be pursuing this success if it wasn't for all the shows I performed around the region, and further afield, when I was beginning," stated Sam Fender. "These locations are renowned, but they are in difficulty."
From early 2023 onward, over 150 of these venues have shut down – approximately one-sixth of the entire UK sector.
Over the past year, well-known musicians including Pulp, the group Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Sheeran have all aided the Music Venues Trust in its efforts to support the industry, by including a modest fee to their ticket costs, which benefits independent venues.
Fender also participated, collecting more than £100,000 on his 2024 arena tour to assist numerous small stages across England, Scotland, and Wales.
The money assisted venues that were facing imminent closure due to difficulties arising from flooding, fires and bereavements, as well as licensing issues, conflicts and noise complaints.
Additional spaces obtained financial assistance in modernizing amenities and technical equipment that helped performers and fans.
"The notion that revenue from concerts in big venues supports the independent spots, where it begins for artists like me, is just sensible," the star has commented.
The musician is not the first artist to donate his award funds to worthy causes.
In they earned the prize in the year 1996 for their record their work, lead singer Cocker announced that the group would donate their winnings to the charity War Child.
In 2002, rapper and singer she shared her bounty between several charities, including the NSPCC and a charity for Sickle Cell.
"I also gave a grand to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics class, because I did gymnastics when I was growing up and they required new equipment," the artist explained to the media.
Previously, Ezra Collective gave their prize money to the youth organization that developed their group, in addition to other independent music bodies.
Also the 1994 recipients the group contributed their prize to a charity for MS after a friend was found to have the disease.
"The victory was quite enough," stated artist Heather Small. "The money was the extra but we didn't require the extra, because we had the honor. So our success touched the lives of others."
Last week, the trust shared it had protected two small stages in that region, by transferring them to community ownership.
The Joiners in the city and the second in that location were bought under the public acquisition program, which is supported by the arts council and music fans who purchase "ownership units" in the buildings.
