The artist gives his £25k prize award winnings to independent concert halls
Sam Fender has handed over the complete sum of his £25k honor cash to the trust for venues, which works to protect the UK's small live music spots.
He was presented with the cheque on October 16 as his latest record his work was chosen as the top album of the previous year.
The musician has chosen to donate the funds to the trust, in appreciation of the crucial part local spots fulfilled in his initial steps.
"I would not have achieved what I am doing today if it wasn't for all the shows I performed around the North East, and beyond, when I was beginning," remarked Fender. "These spaces are legendary, but they are in difficulty."
Beginning in 2023, at least 150 of these spaces have ceased operations – approximately one-sixth of the total UK scene.
In the last year, well-known musicians such as Pulp, the group Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Sheeran have all supported the trust in its initiatives to keep the scene afloat, by including a small levy to their ticket costs, which goes to help local stages.
He also participated, collecting over £100k on his recent tour to assist thirty-eight local spots across Britain.
The donation supported venues that were dealing with imminent closure due to challenges arising from water damage, blazes and family tragedies, as well as licensing issues, conflicts and noise complaints.
Other venues received financial assistance in modernizing amenities and gear that helped artists and fans.
"The idea that money from shows in major spaces helps the smaller venues, where it begins for performers like me, is just common sense," Fender has said.
He is among several artists to donate his award funds to good deeds.
Back when Pulp won the prize in the mid-90s for their release the album, vocalist Cocker stated that the band would give their winnings to the non-profit the charity.
During 2002, artist the artist divided her bounty across a few organizations, including the NSPCC and a charity for Sickle Cell.
"And I gave a thousand pounds to the center, to their gymnastics class, because I did gymnastics when I was a child and they required better apparatus," Ms Dynamite explained to the media.
In recent years, the band donated their prize money to the local youth club that supported their group, alongside other local music groups.
Also 1994 winners they donated their award to a MS organization after a close contact was identified with the condition.
"Receiving the award was sufficient," stated artist Heather Small. "The cash was the cherry on top but we didn't require the extra, because we had the cake. So our victory impacted another person's life."
In the past week, the trust announced it had protected a couple of local spots in the South East, by placing them under local control.
The first in Southampton and the other in that location were bought under the Own Our Venues initiative, which is supported by a national body and supporters who buy "stakes" in the venues.