The artist gives his £25k prize award winnings to small music venues
The star has given the full amount of his twenty-five thousand pound award prize money to the Music Venues Trust, which works to preserve the United Kingdom's grassroots concert spaces.
Fender was awarded the cheque on mid-October as his third album his work was chosen as the best record of the past year.
Fender has chosen to donate the funds to the MVT, in appreciation of the crucial part local spots had in his initial steps.
"I would not have achieved my current career if it wasn't for all the gigs I performed around the area, and beyond, when I was beginning," said the artist. "These spaces are renowned, but they are struggling."
From early 2023 onward, more than 150 of these locations have shut down – roughly one-sixth of the entire UK sector.
Over the past year, well-known musicians such as the band Pulp, Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all supported the trust in its efforts to keep the scene afloat, by adding a small levy to their ticket costs, which goes to help local stages.
Sam Fender also participated, collecting over £100k on his live tour to help numerous small stages across the UK.
The donation helped spaces that were confronting potential shutdown due to challenges stemming from flooding, fires and personal losses, as well as regulatory hurdles, legal disputes and sound issues.
Some locations received funding support in improving facilities and gear that positively impacted musicians and fans.
"The concept that funds from shows in large arenas helps the smaller venues, where it all starts for musicians like me, is just sensible," Sam Fender has said.
Fender is among several artists to give his award prize money to worthy causes.
In Pulp won the prize in the mid-90s for their release Different Class, lead singer Jarvis Cocker declared that the group would give their cash to the charity War Child.
That year, artist she split her prize among several good causes, like the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell organization.
"And I gave a thousand pounds to my local community centre, to their gymnastics class, because I practiced gymnastics when I was younger and they required updated gear," Ms Dynamite told a publication.
Two years ago, Ezra Collective gave their winnings to the youth organization that developed their act, in addition to other independent music bodies.
Also winners that year the group contributed their award to a multiple sclerosis charity after a acquaintance was identified with the condition.
"The victory was ample," stated artist the singer. "The money was the extra but we didn't need the bonus, because we had the main prize. So our winning impacted somebody else's life."
In the past week, the trust revealed it had protected several grassroots venues in the South East, by transferring them to community ownership.
One venue in that area and the second in Bristol were acquired under the community ownership initiative, which is backed by Arts Council England and supporters who acquire "ownership units" in the buildings.