Sam Fender has given the complete sum of his twenty-five thousand pound honor cash to the Music Venues Trust, which functions to protect the UK's grassroots concert spaces.
Fender was given the cheque on October 16 as his new release his work was named the outstanding release of the past year.
Fender has decided to donate the funds to the trust, in acknowledgment of the crucial part small stages fulfilled in his early career.
"I would not have achieved this success if it wasn't for all the shows I did around the area, and further afield, when I was beginning," remarked Fender. "These locations are iconic, but they are in difficulty."
From early 2023 onward, more than 150 of these spaces have ceased operations – about 16% of the whole industry in the UK.
In the last year, top acts such as the band Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all aided the trust in its efforts to support the industry, by applying a minor surcharge to their admission fees, which goes to help smaller concert halls.
Fender also joined in, collecting in excess of £100,000 on his live tour to support numerous grassroots venues across England, Scotland, and Wales.
These funds helped venues that were confronting possible closure due to issues arising from water damage, fires and bereavements, as well as permit problems, legal disputes and neighbor objections.
Some locations obtained financial assistance in upgrading infrastructure and sound and lighting systems that directly benefitted musicians and concertgoers.
"The idea that revenue from shows in large arenas supports the smaller venues, where it kicks off for performers like me, is just sensible," Sam Fender has said.
The musician is not the first artist to donate his award prize money to worthy causes.
In the band earned the prize in the mid-90s for their release the album, vocalist Jarvis Cocker declared that the group would give their winnings to the non-profit the charity.
During 2002, rapper and singer she split her prize across several organizations, such as the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell charity.
"I also donated a thousand pounds to Highgate Newtown, to their classes, because I trained in gymnastics when I was a child and they needed updated gear," the artist shared with outlets.
In recent years, the band donated their winnings to the local youth club that developed their group, as well as other local music groups.
Additionally winners that year M People donated their award to a multiple sclerosis charity after a close contact was found to have the condition.
"The victory was quite enough," said singer Heather Small. "The money was the cherry on top but we didn't need the cherry, because we had the honor. So our success impacted the lives of others."
Recently, the trust announced it had saved a couple of small stages in south-east England, by placing them under local control.
One venue in the city and the second in Bristol were bought under the community ownership program, which is supported by a national body and music fans who buy "shares" in the properties.
