The star has handed over the complete sum of his twenty-five thousand pound honor prize money to the MVT, which works to save the United Kingdom's independent concert spaces.
He was presented with the cheque on 16 October as his third album People Watching was chosen as the top album of the previous year.
He has opted to give the cash to the Music Venues Trust, in acknowledgment of the crucial part 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 gigs I performed around the region, and elsewhere, when I was just getting going," stated Sam Fender. "These venues are renowned, but they are in difficulty."
Beginning in 2023, more than 150 of these spaces have shut down – roughly one-sixth of the whole industry in the UK.
Recently, major artists like Pulp, the group Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all backed the trust in its initiatives to support the industry, by applying a small levy to their ticket prices, which goes to help independent venues.
Sam Fender also joined in, raising over £100k on his 2024 arena tour to help 38 small stages across the UK.
The money helped locations that were facing potential shutdown due to challenges arising from flooding, fires and personal losses, as well as permit problems, court cases and neighbor objections.
Other venues obtained monetary aid in modernizing facilities and sound and lighting systems that helped artists and fans.
"The concept that money from shows in major spaces backs the independent spots, where it kicks off for artists like me, is just logical," Sam Fender has stated.
Fender is among several artists to give his honor prize money to worthy causes.
Back when they won the award in the year 1996 for their record Different Class, lead singer the singer announced that the group would donate their winnings to the non-profit War Child.
In 2002, musician she split her bounty across multiple organizations, like the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell organization.
"Additionally, I donated a £1,000 to my local community centre, to their classes, because I practiced gymnastics when I was younger and they required updated gear," she shared with a publication.
Previously, they gave their prize money to the community center that nurtured their band, as well as other grassroots music organisations.
And 1994 winners M People donated their winnings to a charity for MS after a friend was found to have the condition.
"The victory was sufficient," remarked singer the singer. "The cash was the extra but we could do without the cherry, because we had the honor. So our victory affected another person's life."
Recently, the Music Venues Trust shared it had rescued two grassroots venues in south-east England, by bringing them into local control.
The first in Southampton and the second in the city were bought under the public acquisition program, which is supported by the arts council and music fans who buy "shares" in the properties.
