Sam Fender has donated the complete sum of his twenty-five thousand pound award prize money to the MVT, which operates to protect the United Kingdom's independent live music spots.
He was presented with the prize on October 16 as his latest record his work was chosen as the best record of the past year.
The musician has decided to donate the funds to the Music Venues Trust, in recognition of the essential function small stages played in his early career.
"I personally wouldn't be doing this success if it wasn't for all the shows I played around the area, and elsewhere, when I was just getting going," stated the artist. "These spaces are iconic, but they are struggling."
From early 2023 onward, at least 150 of these locations have ceased operations – about one-sixth of the entire UK sector.
In the last year, top acts such as the band Pulp, the group Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all backed the MVT in its attempts to help venues survive, by adding a small levy to their ticket prices, which benefits independent venues.
He also participated, generating over £100k on his recent tour to support thirty-eight small stages across Britain.
These funds helped venues that were confronting possible closure due to difficulties arising from floods, fires and family tragedies, as well as licensing issues, conflicts and neighbor objections.
Additional spaces obtained funding support in modernizing facilities and sound and lighting systems that helped artists and concertgoers.
"The idea that money from performances in big venues helps the smaller venues, where it kicks off for musicians like me, is just logical," Sam Fender has commented.
He is far from the only musician to contribute his honor prize money to charitable organizations.
Back when they earned the trophy in the mid-90s for their record the album, lead singer Jarvis Cocker stated that the act would donate their prize money to the charity War Child.
In 2002, artist Ms Dynamite divided her prize among multiple charities, like the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell charity.
"I also gave a £1,000 to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics program, because I trained in gymnastics when I was growing up and they required updated gear," she explained to a publication.
Two years ago, the band donated their winnings to the local youth club that developed their act, alongside other local music groups.
Also winners that year the group donated their award to a MS organization after a acquaintance was identified with the illness.
"Receiving the award was sufficient," said vocalist Heather Small. "The cash was the bonus but we didn't require the extra, because we had the main prize. So our victory touched somebody else's life."
Recently, the MVT revealed it had saved a couple of local spots in that region, by bringing them into local control.
One venue in Southampton and the second in Bristol were bought under the Own Our Venues initiative, which is supported by the arts council and supporters who acquire "shares" in the venues.
