Sam Fender has donated the full amount of his twenty-five thousand pound award winnings to the Music Venues Trust, which operates to protect the United Kingdom's grassroots concert spaces.
Fender was presented with the award on 16 October as his latest record the album was chosen as the outstanding release of the last 12 months.
The musician has opted to hand the money over to the trust, in recognition of the crucial part small stages played in his early career.
"As an artist wouldn't be doing what I am doing today if it weren't for all the gigs I did around the area, and beyond, when I was beginning," said the artist. "These locations are renowned, but they are in difficulty."
Beginning in 2023, more than 150 of these spaces have shut down – approximately 16 percent of the total UK scene.
In the last year, well-known musicians including the band Pulp, the group Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all backed the MVT in its initiatives to keep the scene afloat, by including a minor surcharge to their ticket costs, which benefits independent venues.
He also took part, collecting more than £100,000 on his live tour to help numerous small stages across Britain.
The donation helped locations that were dealing with possible closure due to challenges stemming from flooding, blazes and family tragedies, as well as permit problems, conflicts and sound issues.
Some locations obtained funding support in upgrading facilities and sound and lighting systems that directly benefitted artists and audiences.
"The idea that revenue from performances in big venues helps the local stages, where it kicks off for artists like me, is just common sense," Sam Fender has commented.
Fender is among several artists to contribute his honor prize money to worthy causes.
In Pulp received the award in the year 1996 for their release the album, frontman the singer stated that the act would donate their winnings to the organization War Child.
That year, artist Ms Dynamite shared her award across a few good causes, such as the children's charity and a Sickle Cell charity.
"Additionally, I gave a £1,000 to my local community centre, to their classes, because I did gymnastics when I was growing up and they required updated gear," she shared with the media.
In recent years, Ezra Collective donated their funds to the local youth club that nurtured their group, alongside other independent music bodies.
Additionally 1994 winners M People donated their prize to a MS organization after a close contact was diagnosed the condition.
"Receiving the award was sufficient," remarked singer Small. "The cash was the cherry on top but we could do without the cherry, because we had the honor. So our winning impacted the lives of others."
In the past week, the MVT revealed it had protected several small stages in that region, by bringing them into public stewardship.
One venue in that area and the other in that location were bought under the community ownership scheme, which is supported by a national body and enthusiasts who purchase "stakes" in the properties.
