🔗 Share this article

The star has handed over the full amount of his £25,000 honor cash to the MVT, which works to preserve the UK's small concert spaces.

He was given the cheque on October 16 as his latest record the album was chosen as the best record of the last 12 months.

He has opted to donate the funds to the MVT, in recognition of the crucial part small stages fulfilled in his early career.

"I couldn't be pursuing my current career if it wasn't for all the gigs I did around the area, and elsewhere, when I was beginning," stated Fender. "These venues are renowned, but they are facing challenges."

Since the start of 2023, over 150 of these spaces have permanently closed – about 16 percent of the entire UK sector.

In the last year, top acts like Pulp, Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all backed the trust in its attempts to help venues survive, by adding a small levy to their ticket prices, which supports independent venues.

Sam Fender also took part, generating over £100k on his 2024 arena tour to help 38 small stages across Britain.

The money assisted spaces that were dealing with imminent closure due to challenges caused by floods, fires and family tragedies, as well as regulatory hurdles, legal disputes and sound issues.

Other venues were granted monetary aid in improving infrastructure and technical equipment that positively impacted artists and audiences.

"The concept that revenue from performances in big venues helps the local stages, where it kicks off for musicians like me, is just logical," the star has commented.

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

In Pulp won the prize in the mid-90s for their record Different Class, vocalist Jarvis Cocker stated that the group would give their winnings to the charity War Child.

That year, artist she shared her prize among several good causes, like the children's charity and a Sickle Cell organization.

"And I donated a thousand pounds to my local community centre, to their gymnastics class, because I trained in gymnastics when I was younger and they lacked updated gear," the artist told a publication.

Two years ago, they contributed their prize money to the community center that developed their group, in addition to other local music groups.

Also 1994 winners they gave their prize to a multiple sclerosis charity after a acquaintance was diagnosed the illness.

"Receiving the award was ample," remarked artist Heather Small. "The money was the bonus but we didn't need the bonus, because we had the cake. So our winning impacted another person's life."

In the past week, the Music Venues Trust shared it had protected two local spots in that region, by placing them under public stewardship.

One venue in the city and The Croft in the city were acquired under the Own Our Venues initiative, which is funded by a national body and music fans who acquire "ownership units" in the properties.