Sam Fender has given the complete sum of his twenty-five thousand pound honor prize money to the trust for venues, which works to preserve the UK's grassroots music venues.
Fender was given the cheque on mid-October as his new release his work was chosen as the top album of the past year.
He has chosen to give the cash to the Music Venues Trust, in recognition of the essential function local spots fulfilled in his initial steps.
"I personally couldn't be pursuing what I am doing today if it hadn't been for all the gigs I performed around the region, and elsewhere, when I was starting out," remarked Fender. "These spaces are iconic, but they are facing challenges."
From early 2023 onward, at least 150 of these spaces have ceased operations – approximately 16% of the total UK scene.
Recently, top acts such as Pulp, Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all aided the Music Venues Trust in its attempts to help venues survive, by including a small levy to their admission fees, which supports independent venues.
Fender also joined in, collecting over £100k on his recent tour to support numerous grassroots venues across the UK.
The money supported locations that were facing potential shutdown due to challenges caused by flooding, fire incidents and bereavements, as well as regulatory hurdles, court cases and neighbor objections.
Additional spaces received financial assistance in improving facilities and sound and lighting systems that directly benefitted performers and audiences.
"The concept that money from concerts in large arenas helps the smaller venues, where it begins for artists like me, is just common sense," Fender has commented.
The musician is among several artists to donate his honor funds to worthy causes.
Back when the band earned the trophy in the year 1996 for their release their work, frontman the singer announced that the group would donate their prize money to the charity the charity.
That year, rapper and singer Ms Dynamite split her prize among a few good causes, such as the children's charity and a Sickle Cell charity.
"Additionally, I gave a £1,000 to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics program, because I did gymnastics when I was growing up and they lacked updated gear," Ms Dynamite explained to the media.
In recent years, the band contributed their winnings to the local youth club that supported their band, as well as other local music groups.
And winners that year they donated their winnings to a multiple sclerosis charity after a acquaintance was diagnosed the condition.
"The victory was sufficient," stated vocalist the singer. "The cash was the cherry on top but we didn't need the bonus, because we had the main prize. So our success touched somebody else's life."
Recently, the Music Venues Trust shared it had protected several grassroots venues in the South East, by transferring them to community ownership.
One venue in the city and the second in that location were acquired under the public acquisition scheme, which is funded by the arts council and music fans who purchase "shares" in the properties.
