Sam Fender has handed over the entirety of his twenty-five thousand pound award prize money to the trust for venues, which functions to save the UK's small concert spaces.
He was awarded the prize on mid-October as his new release the album was named the top album of the past year.
He has decided to donate the funds to the MVT, in acknowledgment of the vital role small stages fulfilled in his initial steps.
"As an artist would not have achieved my current career if it hadn't been for all the shows I played around the area, and beyond, when I was just getting going," stated the artist. "These spaces are renowned, but they are facing challenges."
Since the start of 2023, at least 150 of these spaces have shut down – approximately 16% of the total UK scene.
Over the past year, major artists including Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Sheeran have all supported the Music Venues Trust in its efforts to keep the scene afloat, by adding a small levy to their admission fees, which supports independent venues.
He also participated, collecting more than £100,000 on his 2024 arena tour to help thirty-eight grassroots venues across England, Scotland, and Wales.
These funds supported locations that were facing possible closure due to challenges arising from floods, fire incidents and family tragedies, as well as regulatory hurdles, legal disputes and noise complaints.
Other venues obtained funding support in improving infrastructure and sound and lighting systems that directly benefitted musicians and fans.
"The notion that funds from shows in big venues helps the smaller venues, where it kicks off for musicians like me, is just logical," Fender has commented.
The musician is far from the only musician to contribute his honor winnings to charitable organizations.
Back when Pulp earned the award in 1996 for their album their work, vocalist Jarvis Cocker stated that the act would donate their cash to the non-profit War Child.
During 2002, artist the artist shared her award between several organizations, including the NSPCC and a charity for Sickle Cell.
"And I gave a £1,000 to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics program, because I trained in gymnastics when I was growing up and they needed new equipment," the artist shared with a publication.
Previously, they contributed their prize money to the local youth club that developed their group, as well as other grassroots music organisations.
And winners that year the group gave their prize to a MS organization after a close contact was found to have the illness.
"Winning was quite enough," remarked vocalist the singer. "The money was the cherry on top but we could do without the cherry, because we had the honor. So our success impacted another person's life."
Recently, the MVT revealed it had protected two grassroots venues in that region, by placing them under public stewardship.
One venue in that area and the second in the city were acquired under the community ownership program, which is supported by the arts council and music fans who acquire "ownership units" in the venues.
