Sam Fender has donated the full amount of his twenty-five thousand pound award prize money to the trust for venues, which operates to preserve the United Kingdom's independent live music spots.
Fender was presented with the award on 16 October as his latest record People Watching was declared the best record of the last 12 months.
He has decided to hand the money over to the MVT, in acknowledgment of the crucial part grassroots venues fulfilled in his beginning days.
"As an artist couldn't be pursuing this success if it hadn't been for all the gigs I played around the region, and elsewhere, when I was just getting going," remarked the artist. "These locations are renowned, but they are facing challenges."
From early 2023 onward, over 150 of these locations have shut down – roughly one-sixth of the whole industry in the UK.
In the last year, top acts such as the band Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Sheeran have all backed the MVT in its initiatives to help venues survive, by including a small levy to their admission fees, which goes to help independent venues.
Sam Fender also participated, collecting over £100k on his recent tour to support thirty-eight local spots across the UK.
These funds assisted spaces that were confronting possible closure due to difficulties caused by water damage, fire incidents and bereavements, as well as regulatory hurdles, conflicts and noise complaints.
Some locations received financial assistance in improving facilities and sound and lighting systems that helped artists and audiences.
"The notion that money from shows in big venues supports the smaller venues, where it begins for artists like me, is just sensible," the star has commented.
The musician is among several artists to donate his honor prize money to worthy causes.
In the band earned the trophy in the year 1996 for their album the album, vocalist Jarvis Cocker stated that the act would contribute their winnings to the organization War Child.
In 2002, musician the artist divided her award between several good causes, including the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell charity.
"I also contributed a £1,000 to my local community centre, to their classes, because I practiced gymnastics when I was a child and they lacked updated gear," she told outlets.
In recent years, they contributed their funds to the local youth club that developed their group, alongside other independent music bodies.
And winners that year M People gave their winnings to a charity for MS after a friend was identified with the condition.
"Winning was ample," stated artist Small. "The money was the extra but we didn't require the cherry, because we had the cake. So our success affected another person's life."
In the past week, the MVT announced it had saved two local spots in south-east England, by placing them under public stewardship.
The Joiners in Southampton and the other in the city were acquired under the Own Our Venues initiative, which is backed by Arts Council England and supporters who purchase "ownership units" in the venues.
