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The artist has handed over the full amount of his £25,000 honor prize money to the Music Venues Trust, which functions to protect the UK's grassroots live music spots.

Fender was awarded the award on mid-October as his third album his work was named the outstanding release of the last 12 months.

Fender has opted to donate the funds to the trust, in recognition of the vital role small stages fulfilled in his beginning days.

"I personally would not have achieved my current career if it weren't for all the gigs I did around the region, and elsewhere, when I was starting out," said Fender. "These venues are legendary, but they are facing challenges."

From early 2023 onward, over 150 of these venues have shut down – roughly 16 percent of the whole industry in the UK.

Over the past year, major artists including Pulp, the group Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all supported the MVT in its initiatives to keep the scene afloat, by adding a small levy to their ticket costs, which benefits local stages.

He also took part, generating more than £100,000 on his 2024 arena tour to support 38 grassroots venues across Britain.

These funds helped venues that were dealing with potential shutdown due to difficulties caused by water damage, fires and personal losses, as well as licensing issues, conflicts and neighbor objections.

Additional spaces obtained monetary aid in modernizing amenities and gear that positively impacted performers and fans.

"The concept that funds from performances in big venues helps the independent spots, where it all starts for musicians like me, is just logical," Sam Fender has said.

The musician is not the first artist to give his honor prize money to good deeds.

Back when Pulp received the trophy in 1996 for their release Different Class, frontman Cocker declared that the act would donate their winnings to the organization War Child.

That year, rapper and singer she split her award between multiple good causes, like the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell charity.

"Additionally, I contributed a £1,000 to Highgate Newtown, to their classes, because I did gymnastics when I was younger and they needed updated gear," the artist told a publication.

In recent years, Ezra Collective gave their funds to the local youth club that developed their act, in addition to other local music groups.

Additionally the 1994 recipients the group contributed their prize to a charity for MS after a friend was diagnosed the condition.

"The victory was sufficient," remarked singer Heather Small. "The cash was the cherry on top but we could do without the extra, because we had the main prize. So our winning impacted somebody else's life."

Last week, the MVT announced it had saved two local spots in south-east England, by transferring them to local control.

The Joiners in Southampton and the other in that location were bought under the public acquisition program, which is funded by the arts council and supporters who buy "ownership units" in the buildings.