🔗 Share this article

The artist has given the entirety of his twenty-five thousand pound award winnings to the MVT, which works to save the UK's independent concert spaces.

The star was given the cheque on October 16 as his third album People Watching was declared the top album of the previous year.

He has opted to give the cash to the MVT, in appreciation of the vital role local spots played in his early career.

"I personally couldn't be pursuing what I am doing today if it weren't for all the performances I performed around the area, and elsewhere, when I was just getting going," remarked Sam Fender. "These locations are legendary, but they are struggling."

From early 2023 onward, more than 150 of these venues have ceased operations – approximately 16% of the entire UK sector.

Recently, major artists such as the band Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all supported the Music Venues Trust in its attempts to support the industry, by including a minor surcharge to their admission fees, which goes to help smaller concert halls.

He also took part, collecting over £100k on his recent tour to assist numerous small stages across England, Scotland, and Wales.

These funds helped locations that were confronting imminent closure due to difficulties arising from water damage, fires and bereavements, as well as permit problems, legal disputes and sound issues.

Additional spaces were granted monetary aid in modernizing infrastructure and sound and lighting systems that positively impacted musicians and fans.

"The notion that revenue from shows in big venues supports the independent spots, where it all starts for musicians like me, is just sensible," Sam Fender has said.

He is far from the only musician to donate his honor winnings to worthy causes.

When Pulp earned the prize in 1996 for their release their work, frontman the singer stated that the act would give their cash to the non-profit the charity.

During 2002, rapper and singer the artist divided her award among multiple charities, such as the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell charity.

"Additionally, I gave a grand to my local community centre, to their gymnastics program, because I practiced gymnastics when I was a child and they lacked updated gear," she explained to the media.

Previously, Ezra Collective gave their prize money to the local youth club that supported their group, in addition to other independent music bodies.

And the 1994 recipients they contributed their prize to a MS organization after a close contact was diagnosed the disease.

"The victory was ample," remarked singer the singer. "The money was the cherry on top but we didn't need the cherry, because we had the main prize. So our winning touched another person's life."

Recently, the Music Venues Trust shared it had saved several local spots in that region, by placing them under community ownership.

The Joiners in Southampton and the second in the city were purchased under the community ownership program, which is funded by a national body and supporters who acquire "stakes" in the properties.