Sam Fender has given the full amount of his twenty-five thousand pound award prize money to the MVT, which functions to save the United Kingdom's independent music venues.
Fender was given the prize on October 16 as his new release People Watching was chosen as the top album of the previous year.
The musician has opted to give the cash to the trust, in acknowledgment of the vital role small stages played in his beginning days.
"I personally wouldn't be doing my current career if it hadn't been for all the shows I played around the North East, and elsewhere, when I was beginning," remarked Fender. "These venues are renowned, but they are facing challenges."
Beginning in 2023, more than 150 of these venues have permanently closed – roughly one-sixth of the whole industry in the UK.
Over the past year, well-known musicians including Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all backed the MVT in its efforts to support the industry, by including a minor surcharge to their ticket costs, which benefits smaller concert halls.
Sam Fender also took part, raising in excess of £100,000 on his 2024 arena tour to assist numerous local spots across England, Scotland, and Wales.
These funds supported venues that were confronting possible closure due to challenges arising from flooding, fire incidents and personal losses, as well as regulatory hurdles, legal disputes and neighbor objections.
Some locations received financial assistance in improving facilities and technical equipment that helped performers and audiences.
"The concept that money from shows in major spaces backs the local stages, where it kicks off for artists like me, is just common sense," the star has said.
He is not the first artist to contribute his honor prize money to charitable organizations.
Back when the band earned the award in the year 1996 for their release their work, frontman the singer declared that the group would donate their winnings to the organization War Child.
During 2002, rapper and singer the artist split her award between several good causes, such as the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell organization.
"And I donated a £1,000 to my local community centre, to their gymnastics class, because I did gymnastics when I was younger and they needed new equipment," she told a publication.
Previously, Ezra Collective gave their prize money to the youth organization that developed their band, alongside other grassroots music organisations.
Also winners that year M People donated their prize to a multiple sclerosis charity after a friend was identified with the condition.
"Receiving the award was ample," said singer Small. "The prize was the bonus but we didn't require the extra, because we had the main prize. So our winning affected somebody else's life."
In the past week, the trust announced it had rescued two small stages in the South East, by transferring them to public stewardship.
One venue in that area and The Croft in the city were bought under the Own Our Venues initiative, which is supported by Arts Council England and enthusiasts who buy "ownership units" in the properties.
