🔗 Share this article

The artist has given the entirety of his twenty-five thousand pound award cash to the MVT, which works to protect the UK's grassroots live music spots.

Fender was presented with the award on mid-October as his third album his work was named the top album of the previous year.

Fender has decided to hand the money over to the Music Venues Trust, in acknowledgment of the vital role small stages had in his beginning days.

"I would not have achieved what I am doing today if it hadn't been for all the gigs I played around the North East, and elsewhere, when I was just getting going," said Fender. "These spaces are iconic, but they are in difficulty."

Beginning in 2023, at least 150 of these spaces have shut down – about 16 percent of the total UK scene.

Recently, major artists like Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all aided the MVT in its initiatives to support the industry, by including a minor surcharge to their ticket prices, which benefits local stages.

Sam Fender also took part, collecting in excess of £100,000 on his 2024 arena tour to assist numerous local spots across England, Scotland, and Wales.

The donation helped venues that were confronting imminent closure due to difficulties caused by floods, blazes and bereavements, as well as licensing issues, legal disputes and neighbor objections.

Some locations were granted monetary aid in upgrading infrastructure and gear that directly benefitted artists and audiences.

"The notion that funds from shows in major spaces helps the independent spots, where it begins for musicians like me, is just logical," Fender has said.

He is not the first artist to give his honor prize money to worthy causes.

In Pulp earned the award in the mid-90s for their album their work, frontman Cocker announced that the act would donate their prize money to the non-profit War Child.

In 2002, musician the artist split her prize across a few good causes, including the children's charity and a Sickle Cell organization.

"I also donated a £1,000 to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics program, because I trained in gymnastics when I was younger and they lacked new equipment," the artist shared with a publication.

Previously, Ezra Collective donated their prize money to the local youth club that developed their group, alongside other grassroots music organisations.

Also winners that year they contributed their winnings to a multiple sclerosis charity after a close contact was diagnosed the disease.

"The victory was sufficient," said singer the singer. "The prize was the bonus but we could do without the cherry, because we had the cake. So our success affected the lives of others."

Recently, the Music Venues Trust revealed it had saved two small stages in south-east England, by transferring them to local control.

One venue in that area and the second in the city were bought under the public acquisition scheme, which is backed by a national body and enthusiasts who purchase "shares" in the properties.