Sam Fender has handed over the entirety of his £25,000 award winnings to the Music Venues Trust, which works to save the UK's small live music spots.
He was given the cheque on 16 October as his new release his work was named the best record of the last 12 months.
Fender has chosen to donate the funds to the Music Venues Trust, in recognition of the essential function local spots played in his early career.
"As an artist wouldn't be doing what I am doing today if it hadn't been for all the performances I performed around the North East, and elsewhere, when I was starting out," remarked Sam Fender. "These locations are iconic, but they are struggling."
Beginning in 2023, more than 150 of these locations have shut down – about 16 percent of the total UK scene.
Over the past year, well-known musicians such as Pulp, Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all backed the MVT in its efforts to help venues survive, by including a minor surcharge to their admission fees, which supports smaller concert halls.
Fender also joined in, collecting in excess of £100,000 on his 2024 arena tour to support thirty-eight grassroots venues across England, Scotland, and Wales.
The donation helped venues that were facing imminent closure due to challenges caused by flooding, fire incidents and personal losses, as well as licensing issues, legal disputes and sound issues.
Other venues obtained monetary aid in improving facilities and gear that directly benefitted performers and audiences.
"The notion that revenue from shows in large arenas supports the smaller venues, where it begins for performers like me, is just sensible," the star has said.
He is among several artists to give his award funds to charitable organizations.
In Pulp earned the trophy in the year 1996 for their album Different Class, lead singer Cocker declared that the band would donate their cash to the organization the charity.
During 2002, artist the artist split her bounty across multiple charities, including the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell organization.
"Additionally, I gave a grand to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics program, because I trained in gymnastics when I was a child and they required new equipment," Ms Dynamite explained to the media.
Two years ago, they contributed their prize money to the youth organization that nurtured their group, alongside other local music groups.
Additionally the 1994 recipients M People contributed their winnings to a MS organization after a friend was identified with the disease.
"Receiving the award was sufficient," stated singer Heather Small. "The cash was the extra but we didn't require the extra, because we had the honor. So our victory impacted the lives of others."
Last week, the MVT revealed it had protected a couple of small stages in that region, by bringing them into public stewardship.
One venue in Southampton and The Croft in the city were acquired under the Own Our Venues program, which is supported by a national body and enthusiasts who buy "ownership units" in the properties.
