Sam Fender has given the entirety of his twenty-five thousand pound award winnings to the Music Venues Trust, which operates to preserve the United Kingdom's grassroots live music spots.
The star was given the cheque on 16 October as his third album his work was named the best record of the previous year.
He has decided to hand the money over to the MVT, in appreciation of the crucial part local spots fulfilled in his early career.
"As an artist wouldn't be doing this success if it weren't for all the performances I did around the area, and further afield, when I was just getting going," stated Sam Fender. "These locations are legendary, but they are facing challenges."
Beginning in 2023, over 150 of these locations have ceased operations – roughly 16% of the total UK scene.
Recently, well-known musicians such as Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all backed the MVT in its attempts to support the industry, by applying a modest fee to their ticket costs, which supports smaller concert halls.
Fender also joined in, collecting in excess of £100,000 on his live tour to assist thirty-eight local spots across England, Scotland, and Wales.
The donation helped locations that were facing possible closure due to difficulties arising from water damage, fire incidents and bereavements, as well as licensing issues, conflicts and neighbor objections.
Some locations received monetary aid in upgrading amenities and sound and lighting systems that positively impacted musicians and concertgoers.
"The concept that revenue from concerts in major spaces helps the smaller venues, where it all starts for artists like me, is just sensible," Sam Fender has said.
Fender is far from the only musician to give his award prize money to charitable organizations.
In Pulp received the prize in 1996 for their album the album, frontman Cocker stated that the group would give their prize money to the charity War Child.
During 2002, musician Ms Dynamite divided her bounty among a few good causes, like the children's charity and a charity for Sickle Cell.
"And I donated a thousand pounds to my local community centre, to their gymnastics program, because I practiced gymnastics when I was younger and they lacked new equipment," Ms Dynamite shared with outlets.
Previously, Ezra Collective contributed their winnings to the local youth club that developed their band, as well as other grassroots music organisations.
Additionally 1994 winners the group donated their prize to a charity for MS after a friend was diagnosed the disease.
"Winning was ample," said singer Small. "The cash was the cherry on top but we didn't require the extra, because we had the cake. So our winning affected somebody else's life."
Recently, the MVT shared it had saved several local spots in south-east England, by transferring them to local control.
One venue in that area and The Croft in Bristol were bought under the public acquisition scheme, which is backed by a national body and supporters who purchase "shares" in the buildings.
