Sam Fender donates his £25k prize award winnings to grassroots live spaces
The star has given the full amount of his twenty-five thousand pound honor winnings to the Music Venues Trust, which operates to preserve the UK's small live music spots.
He was awarded the award on mid-October as his latest record People Watching was declared the top album of the past year.
He has chosen to donate the funds to the trust, in appreciation of the essential function grassroots venues fulfilled in his beginning days.
"I couldn't be pursuing this success if it wasn't for all the performances I performed around the region, and elsewhere, when I was beginning," said Sam Fender. "These venues are legendary, but they are in difficulty."
Since the start of 2023, at least 150 of these venues have ceased operations – roughly 16% of the entire UK sector.
Recently, well-known musicians like Pulp, Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all aided the trust in its initiatives to support the industry, by adding a minor surcharge to their ticket prices, which benefits independent venues.
He also participated, generating over £100k on his live tour to support numerous small stages across Britain.
The donation supported venues that were facing potential shutdown due to issues arising from water damage, fire incidents and bereavements, as well as licensing issues, legal disputes and neighbor objections.
Other venues were granted funding support in upgrading amenities and sound and lighting systems that positively impacted artists and audiences.
"The idea that funds from concerts in large arenas backs the smaller venues, where it begins for artists like me, is just common sense," Fender has stated.
The musician is not the first artist to contribute his honor winnings to good deeds.
Back when they won the award in 1996 for their album Different Class, lead singer the singer announced that the band would contribute their winnings to the organization War Child.
In 2002, musician the artist shared her prize among several charities, including the children's charity and a Sickle Cell charity.
"I also contributed a grand to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics program, because I practiced gymnastics when I was growing up and they lacked better apparatus," she told a publication.
Two years ago, Ezra Collective donated their winnings to the local youth club that nurtured their act, as well as other local music groups.
And the 1994 recipients they contributed their winnings to a charity for MS after a friend was diagnosed the illness.
"The victory was quite enough," stated singer Small. "The money was the extra but we could do without the extra, because we had the honor. So our success impacted somebody else's life."
Last week, the trust announced it had protected two local spots in south-east England, by placing them under public stewardship.
The first in that area and the other in that location were bought under the community ownership initiative, which is supported by a national body and music fans who acquire "stakes" in the properties.