Sam Fender has handed over the complete sum of his twenty-five thousand pound award cash to the trust for venues, which functions to save the UK's independent concert spaces.
Fender was given the cheque on mid-October as his third album the album was declared the outstanding release of the past year.
The musician has decided to hand the money over to the Music Venues Trust, in acknowledgment of the crucial part small stages had in his early career.
"I personally would not have achieved my current career if it hadn't been for all the performances I did around the region, and further afield, when I was beginning," said Fender. "These locations are iconic, but they are in difficulty."
From early 2023 onward, at least 150 of these venues have shut down – about 16% of the whole industry in the UK.
Recently, major artists like Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all backed the Music Venues Trust in its efforts to keep the scene afloat, by adding a minor surcharge to their ticket costs, which benefits smaller concert halls.
He also participated, raising in excess of £100,000 on his live tour to help thirty-eight grassroots venues across the UK.
The money supported locations that were dealing with possible closure due to issues caused by water damage, fires and family tragedies, as well as licensing issues, court cases and sound issues.
Additional spaces were granted funding support in improving infrastructure and technical equipment that directly benefitted performers and concertgoers.
"The notion that revenue from performances in major spaces helps the local stages, where it all starts for artists like me, is just common sense," the star has commented.
The musician is far from the only musician to donate his award funds to charitable organizations.
When Pulp earned the award in 1996 for their record their work, vocalist Cocker announced that the act would contribute their winnings to the charity the charity.
During 2002, musician she divided her award among a few organizations, like the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell organization.
"And I gave a grand to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics class, because I trained in gymnastics when I was a child and they needed updated gear," Ms Dynamite told the media.
In recent years, Ezra Collective contributed their winnings to the youth organization that developed their act, in addition to other local music groups.
Also winners that year M People donated their winnings to a charity for MS after a acquaintance was diagnosed the condition.
"Winning was sufficient," remarked artist the singer. "The money was the cherry on top but we didn't require the extra, because we had the honor. So our success touched somebody else's life."
In the past week, the MVT announced it had protected a couple of small stages in that region, by transferring them to local control.
One venue in Southampton and the second in that location were acquired under the community ownership initiative, which is supported by a national body and enthusiasts who purchase "ownership units" in the buildings.
