Sam Fender has donated the entirety of his £25k award winnings to the Music Venues Trust, which operates to save the United Kingdom's small live music spots.
The star was given the prize on 16 October as his new release the album was declared the outstanding release of the previous year.
Fender has decided to give the cash to the MVT, in acknowledgment of the essential function grassroots venues had in his early career.
"As an artist wouldn't be doing my current career if it hadn't been for all the gigs I performed around the area, and further afield, when I was beginning," remarked Sam Fender. "These locations are iconic, but they are facing challenges."
From early 2023 onward, at least 150 of these locations have shut down – about one-sixth of the total UK scene.
Recently, major artists like Pulp, Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all supported the trust in its attempts to help venues survive, by applying a modest fee to their ticket costs, which goes to help smaller concert halls.
Fender also took part, generating in excess of £100,000 on his recent tour to assist 38 small stages across England, Scotland, and Wales.
The money assisted spaces that were dealing with possible closure due to difficulties caused by flooding, fire incidents and family tragedies, as well as permit problems, court cases and noise complaints.
Some locations obtained funding support in modernizing facilities and technical equipment that positively impacted performers and audiences.
"The notion that money from shows in large arenas backs the independent spots, where it all starts for musicians like me, is just sensible," Sam Fender has commented.
Fender is not the first artist to donate his award prize money to good deeds.
In Pulp earned the trophy in the year 1996 for their album Different Class, frontman the singer stated that the act would donate their winnings to the non-profit War Child.
In 2002, musician the artist shared her bounty across multiple charities, such as the children's charity and a Sickle Cell organization.
"I also contributed a thousand pounds to my local community centre, to their gymnastics program, because I practiced gymnastics when I was a child and they needed updated gear," she told a publication.
Two years ago, Ezra Collective donated their prize money to the community center that supported their band, in addition to other local music groups.
Additionally 1994 winners M People donated their winnings to a charity for MS after a close contact was diagnosed the disease.
"Receiving the award was sufficient," stated vocalist Heather Small. "The cash was the bonus but we could do without the bonus, because we had the main prize. So our winning affected another person's life."
Last week, the MVT revealed it had rescued a couple of grassroots venues in that region, by placing them under public stewardship.
The first in that area and the other in Bristol were acquired under the public acquisition program, which is backed by a national body and supporters who buy "ownership units" in the properties.
