Sam Fender has given the full amount of his £25,000 honor cash to the Music Venues Trust, which functions to preserve the Britain's independent concert spaces.
The star was awarded the award on 16 October as his third album People Watching was named the top album of the last 12 months.
Fender has decided to give the cash to the trust, in appreciation of the crucial part small stages fulfilled in his initial steps.
"I couldn't be pursuing my current career if it wasn't for all the shows I played around the region, and beyond, when I was starting out," remarked the artist. "These venues are renowned, but they are struggling."
Since the start of 2023, more than 150 of these venues have shut down – roughly 16 percent of the entire UK sector.
Recently, well-known musicians like the band Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Sheeran have all backed the MVT in its initiatives to keep the scene afloat, by adding a minor surcharge to their ticket costs, which goes to help independent venues.
He also participated, collecting over £100k on his live tour to support 38 small stages across the UK.
The money supported locations that were facing possible closure due to difficulties stemming from floods, blazes and personal losses, as well as licensing issues, court cases and noise complaints.
Some locations obtained monetary aid in upgrading amenities and gear that helped performers and audiences.
"The concept that revenue from performances in major spaces backs the local stages, where it kicks off for artists like me, is just logical," Fender has said.
The musician is not the first artist to give his honor winnings to worthy causes.
Back when Pulp won the prize in 1996 for their album the album, lead singer Jarvis Cocker declared that the band would give their prize money to the charity War Child.
In 2002, artist the artist divided her bounty among a few charities, including the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell organization.
"Additionally, I contributed a £1,000 to the center, to their gymnastics program, because I trained in gymnastics when I was younger and they needed better apparatus," she told outlets.
Two years ago, Ezra Collective donated their funds to the community center that developed their group, in addition to other grassroots music organisations.
Additionally 1994 winners they gave their winnings to a multiple sclerosis charity after a close contact was found to have the disease.
"The victory was quite enough," stated singer the singer. "The prize was the cherry on top but we didn't need the bonus, because we had the honor. So our success touched another person's life."
In the past week, the Music Venues Trust announced it had saved a couple of local spots in that region, by transferring them to public stewardship.
The Joiners in Southampton and The Croft in that location were acquired under the public acquisition initiative, which is funded by the arts council and music fans who acquire "shares" in the venues.
