Sam Fender has handed over the complete sum of his twenty-five thousand pound honor winnings to the trust for venues, which operates to preserve the UK's grassroots music venues.
The star was given the award on October 16 as his third album the album was named the best record of the previous year.
Fender has chosen to donate the funds to the MVT, in recognition of the crucial part grassroots venues had in his early career.
"I would not have achieved what I am doing today if it wasn't for all the performances I performed around the North East, and further afield, when I was starting out," stated Sam Fender. "These locations are renowned, but they are struggling."
Beginning in 2023, more than 150 of these venues have permanently closed – about 16% of the whole industry in the UK.
Recently, top acts like the band Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Sheeran have all backed the Music Venues Trust in its attempts to help venues survive, by including a modest fee to their admission fees, which benefits smaller concert halls.
Fender also participated, generating in excess of £100,000 on his 2024 arena tour to assist 38 small stages across England, Scotland, and Wales.
The donation assisted locations that were dealing with imminent closure due to challenges stemming from floods, fire incidents and bereavements, as well as regulatory hurdles, conflicts and sound issues.
Other venues were granted funding support in modernizing facilities and technical equipment that helped performers and fans.
"The concept that funds from performances in large arenas supports the smaller venues, where it all starts for performers like me, is just common sense," Fender has commented.
Fender is not the first artist to donate his award funds to charitable organizations.
In the band earned the award in 1996 for their release their work, vocalist Jarvis Cocker stated that the act would give their prize money to the non-profit War Child.
During 2002, rapper and singer the artist divided her award among multiple organizations, including the NSPCC and a charity for Sickle Cell.
"Additionally, I contributed a grand to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics program, because I did gymnastics when I was younger and they lacked better apparatus," the artist shared with a publication.
In recent years, the band donated their funds to the local youth club that supported their act, in addition to other local music groups.
Additionally 1994 winners they contributed their winnings to a multiple sclerosis charity after a friend was diagnosed the condition.
"The victory was sufficient," said singer the singer. "The money was the extra but we didn't need the cherry, because we had the honor. So our winning touched another person's life."
Recently, the Music Venues Trust revealed it had saved several local spots in that region, by transferring them to public stewardship.
The first in Southampton and the other in Bristol were acquired under the public acquisition program, which is supported by a national body and enthusiasts who acquire "shares" in the buildings.
