Sam Fender has handed over the complete sum of his twenty-five thousand pound award winnings to the trust for venues, which functions to preserve the United Kingdom's small concert spaces.
Fender was given the award on mid-October as his latest record the album was named the outstanding release of the previous year.
The musician has chosen to donate the funds to the Music Venues Trust, in acknowledgment of the crucial part grassroots venues had in his beginning days.
"I would not have achieved this success if it weren't for all the shows I performed around the area, and beyond, when I was beginning," said Sam Fender. "These venues are iconic, but they are in difficulty."
From early 2023 onward, more than 150 of these locations have ceased operations – about 16 percent of the total UK scene.
In the last year, major artists such as the band Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all supported the MVT in its initiatives to help venues survive, by applying a small levy to their ticket prices, which benefits local stages.
Sam Fender also participated, collecting in excess of £100,000 on his live tour to help numerous local spots across the UK.
These funds supported venues that were confronting potential shutdown due to challenges caused by flooding, blazes and family tragedies, as well as licensing issues, court cases and sound issues.
Some locations received funding support in modernizing infrastructure and technical equipment that positively impacted performers and fans.
"The idea that money from performances in major spaces helps the independent spots, where it kicks off for artists like me, is just sensible," Sam Fender has stated.
The musician is among several artists to contribute his honor winnings to worthy causes.
In the band received the award in the year 1996 for their record their work, frontman Jarvis Cocker announced that the group would donate their cash to the charity the charity.
In 2002, musician the artist shared her award across several organizations, including the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell organization.
"Additionally, I donated a £1,000 to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics class, because I practiced gymnastics when I was a child and they lacked new equipment," she shared with a publication.
In recent years, the band gave their winnings to the community center that supported their band, in addition to other grassroots music organisations.
Also the 1994 recipients they gave their prize to a charity for MS after a acquaintance was found to have the disease.
"The victory was quite enough," remarked artist Small. "The cash was the bonus but we didn't require the extra, because we had the cake. So our victory impacted somebody else's life."
Recently, the Music Venues Trust announced it had saved several grassroots venues in south-east England, by bringing them into public stewardship.
One venue in Southampton and The Croft in that location were purchased under the Own Our Venues program, which is backed by the arts council and enthusiasts who acquire "ownership units" in the properties.
