Sam Fender has handed over the entirety of his £25k award prize money to the Music Venues Trust, which functions to preserve the Britain's grassroots music venues.
The star was presented with the prize on 16 October as his third album his work was chosen as the top album of the past year.
Fender has decided to donate the funds to the MVT, in recognition of the crucial part grassroots venues had in his beginning days.
"I personally couldn't be pursuing my current career if it weren't for all the performances I played around the area, and beyond, when I was just getting going," remarked Fender. "These locations are renowned, but they are facing challenges."
Beginning in 2023, more than 150 of these spaces have ceased operations – roughly 16% of the entire UK sector.
Recently, top acts including Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Sheeran have all backed the trust in its initiatives to support the industry, by including a minor surcharge to their admission fees, which benefits smaller concert halls.
Sam Fender also took part, collecting over £100k on his 2024 arena tour to support numerous grassroots venues across Britain.
These funds supported venues that were confronting possible closure due to challenges arising from water damage, fires and bereavements, as well as licensing issues, legal disputes and neighbor objections.
Additional spaces obtained monetary aid in improving facilities and technical equipment that helped performers and audiences.
"The idea that revenue from shows in major spaces supports the local stages, where it kicks off for artists like me, is just logical," the star has said.
He is not the first artist to contribute his award winnings to worthy causes.
When the band won the trophy in 1996 for their album the album, lead singer Jarvis Cocker announced that the group would contribute their cash to the non-profit the charity.
That year, rapper and singer she shared her prize between a few charities, including the children's charity and a Sickle Cell organization.
"Additionally, I contributed a grand to the center, to their gymnastics class, because I did gymnastics when I was younger and they needed better apparatus," the artist told the media.
Two years ago, the band donated their funds to the youth organization that supported their band, in addition to other local music groups.
Also winners that year the group contributed their award to a multiple sclerosis charity after a acquaintance was diagnosed the disease.
"Receiving the award was sufficient," remarked vocalist Heather Small. "The money was the cherry on top but we didn't require the cherry, because we had the cake. So our victory touched the lives of others."
In the past week, the MVT revealed it had rescued several small stages in that region, by placing them under community ownership.
The first in that area and the second in that location were purchased under the Own Our Venues initiative, which is funded by the arts council and music fans who acquire "stakes" in the buildings.
