Sam Fender has handed over the entirety of his twenty-five thousand pound honor cash to the trust for venues, which works to preserve the UK's independent music venues.
He was given the prize on 16 October as his latest record his work was chosen as the best record of the last 12 months.
The musician has decided to donate the funds to the Music Venues Trust, in acknowledgment of the essential function small stages played in his early career.
"I would not have achieved my current career if it weren't for all the shows I performed around the region, and elsewhere, when I was beginning," remarked Sam Fender. "These venues are legendary, but they are struggling."
Beginning in 2023, more than 150 of these spaces have ceased operations – roughly 16 percent of the total UK scene.
Over the past year, major artists like Pulp, the group Coldplay, Katy Perry and Sheeran have all backed the trust in its initiatives to support the industry, by including a small levy to their admission fees, which benefits smaller concert halls.
Fender also participated, raising over £100k on his live tour to help 38 grassroots venues across England, Scotland, and Wales.
These funds supported venues that were facing possible closure due to challenges stemming from water damage, blazes and bereavements, as well as regulatory hurdles, conflicts and sound issues.
Additional spaces received funding support in modernizing infrastructure and sound and lighting systems that positively impacted performers and fans.
"The notion that funds from shows in large arenas helps the local stages, where it kicks off for artists like me, is just logical," Sam Fender has said.
Fender is not the first artist to give his honor winnings to good deeds.
In Pulp earned the trophy in 1996 for their release the album, vocalist Cocker stated that the act would give their prize money to the non-profit the charity.
During 2002, musician the artist split her bounty among several charities, like the children's charity and a charity for Sickle Cell.
"Additionally, I contributed a thousand pounds to the center, to their gymnastics class, because I trained in gymnastics when I was growing up and they lacked new equipment," she shared with the media.
Two years ago, Ezra Collective gave their prize money to the local youth club that developed their band, in addition to other independent music bodies.
Additionally the 1994 recipients the group donated their winnings to a MS organization after a close contact was found to have the disease.
"Winning was ample," said vocalist Heather Small. "The prize was the extra but we could do without the extra, because we had the cake. So our winning affected somebody else's life."
Recently, the Music Venues Trust shared it had saved two local spots in the South East, by transferring them to community ownership.
The first in that area and the second in Bristol were bought under the public acquisition program, which is supported by a national body and enthusiasts who buy "shares" in the properties.
