Sam Fender has given the entirety of his £25k award winnings to the Music Venues Trust, which functions to save the United Kingdom's small concert spaces.
He was given the cheque on October 16 as his new release his work was declared the best record of the past year.
He has decided to hand the money over to the trust, in acknowledgment of the essential function grassroots venues had in his initial steps.
"As an artist couldn't be pursuing this success if it weren't for all the performances I did around the North East, and further afield, when I was beginning," remarked Sam Fender. "These spaces are iconic, but they are facing challenges."
Beginning in 2023, more than 150 of these venues have ceased operations – roughly one-sixth of the total UK scene.
Over the past year, top acts like the band Pulp, the group Coldplay, Katy Perry and Sheeran have all aided the Music Venues Trust in its efforts to keep the scene afloat, by including a small levy to their ticket costs, which benefits smaller concert halls.
Sam Fender also joined in, raising more than £100,000 on his live tour to help 38 grassroots venues across England, Scotland, and Wales.
The donation supported spaces that were dealing with potential shutdown due to difficulties arising from flooding, fires and personal losses, as well as licensing issues, court cases and noise complaints.
Some locations were granted financial assistance in modernizing facilities and technical equipment that helped musicians and audiences.
"The idea that revenue from performances in major spaces helps the smaller venues, where it all starts for performers like me, is just common sense," the star has stated.
The musician is not the first artist to give his award prize money to charitable organizations.
In Pulp won the prize in the year 1996 for their release their work, frontman Jarvis Cocker announced that the band would contribute their cash to the charity War Child.
In 2002, artist she divided her bounty between a few good causes, such as the children's charity and a charity for Sickle Cell.
"Additionally, I contributed a thousand pounds to the center, to their gymnastics class, because I did gymnastics when I was younger and they lacked new equipment," Ms Dynamite explained to outlets.
Previously, Ezra Collective contributed their prize money to the local youth club that developed their act, as well as other grassroots music organisations.
And the 1994 recipients the group donated their prize to a MS organization after a acquaintance was diagnosed the condition.
"The victory was ample," remarked singer Heather Small. "The cash was the bonus but we didn't require the cherry, because we had the honor. So our winning impacted somebody else's life."
Last week, the trust shared it had rescued two local spots in that region, by placing them under public stewardship.
The first in that area and the second in Bristol were acquired under the community ownership program, which is funded by a national body and supporters who acquire "shares" in the buildings.
