Sam Fender has donated the entirety of his twenty-five thousand pound honor winnings to the trust for venues, which functions to preserve the United Kingdom's independent music venues.
The star was awarded the award on mid-October as his latest record the album was chosen as the top album of the past year.
The musician has opted to hand the money over to the trust, in recognition of the crucial part local spots played in his beginning days.
"As an artist couldn't be pursuing this success if it hadn't been for all the gigs I played around the North East, and beyond, when I was beginning," said Fender. "These spaces are legendary, but they are struggling."
From early 2023 onward, over 150 of these venues have ceased operations – roughly one-sixth of the entire UK sector.
Recently, major artists including Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all aided the Music Venues Trust in its efforts to support the industry, by applying a minor surcharge to their ticket costs, which supports smaller concert halls.
Sam Fender also took part, raising in excess of £100,000 on his live tour to help numerous local spots across Britain.
The money helped spaces that were dealing with possible closure due to challenges arising from floods, blazes and bereavements, as well as regulatory hurdles, conflicts and noise complaints.
Additional spaces were granted monetary aid in modernizing infrastructure and gear that positively impacted performers and fans.
"The notion that money from performances in big venues backs the independent spots, where it all starts for performers like me, is just sensible," Sam Fender has commented.
The musician is far from the only musician to contribute his award winnings to worthy causes.
When the band earned the award in the year 1996 for their record Different Class, frontman the singer stated that the act would give their prize money to the organization the charity.
That year, rapper and singer she divided her award between a few organizations, including the NSPCC and a charity for Sickle Cell.
"Additionally, I contributed 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 outlets.
Two years ago, the band donated their winnings to the local youth club that supported their band, alongside other grassroots music organisations.
Additionally 1994 winners they contributed their winnings to a MS organization after a friend was identified with the condition.
"Winning was quite enough," remarked singer the singer. "The cash was the bonus but we didn't require the bonus, because we had the honor. So our victory touched another person's life."
Recently, the MVT shared it had protected several grassroots venues in that region, by placing them under local control.
One venue in that area and the other in the city were purchased under the community ownership scheme, which is supported by the arts council and supporters who purchase "shares" in the buildings.
