The star has handed over the entirety of his twenty-five thousand pound Mercury Prize prize money to the Music Venues Trust, which operates to preserve the United Kingdom's grassroots live music spots.
He was given the cheque on 16 October as his third album the album was named the top album of the past year.
He has opted to hand the money over to the Music Venues Trust, in acknowledgment of the vital role small stages fulfilled in his beginning days.
"I would not have achieved what I am doing today if it hadn't been for all the gigs I played around the North East, and beyond, when I was beginning," said the artist. "These venues are iconic, but they are facing challenges."
Beginning in 2023, over 150 of these spaces have shut down – roughly 16% of the entire UK sector.
Over the past year, well-known musicians including Pulp, the group Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all backed the MVT in its initiatives to support the industry, by including a small levy to their admission fees, which benefits independent venues.
Sam Fender also joined in, collecting over £100k on his recent tour to support 38 grassroots venues across England, Scotland, and Wales.
These funds supported venues that were facing potential shutdown due to difficulties caused by water damage, fires and family tragedies, as well as licensing issues, conflicts and noise complaints.
Some locations received monetary aid in modernizing infrastructure and technical equipment that positively impacted performers and audiences.
"The notion that money from shows in large arenas backs the independent spots, where it kicks off for musicians like me, is just sensible," Sam Fender has said.
The musician is far from the only musician to give his award prize money to worthy causes.
Back when the band won the award in 1996 for their release Different Class, lead singer the singer stated that the band would contribute their cash to the non-profit the charity.
During 2002, rapper and singer she split her prize between multiple organizations, such as the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell organization.
"I also gave a thousand pounds to my local community centre, to their classes, because I practiced gymnastics when I was growing up and they lacked new equipment," she explained to outlets.
Two years ago, the band contributed their winnings to the youth organization that developed their group, as well as other grassroots music organisations.
Also winners that year M People contributed their prize to a MS organization after a friend was identified with the disease.
"The victory was quite enough," stated vocalist Heather Small. "The prize was the bonus but we didn't require the extra, because we had the main prize. So our success touched another person's life."
Recently, the Music Venues Trust announced it had rescued several small stages in that region, by transferring them to local control.
The Joiners in Southampton and the other in that location were acquired under the community ownership scheme, which is backed by the arts council and enthusiasts who acquire "shares" in the buildings.
