The artist has handed over the entirety of his twenty-five thousand pound award winnings to the Music Venues Trust, which works to protect the United Kingdom's grassroots concert spaces.
He was presented with the cheque on mid-October as his new release People Watching was named the best record of the past year.
The musician has opted to donate the funds to the Music Venues Trust, in appreciation of the vital role local spots had in his early career.
"As an artist couldn't be pursuing this success if it weren't for all the performances I did around the area, and beyond, when I was just getting going," stated Sam Fender. "These venues are iconic, but they are struggling."
Beginning in 2023, more than 150 of these spaces have ceased operations – roughly 16% of the total UK scene.
Over the past year, major artists including the band Pulp, the group Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all supported the Music Venues Trust in its initiatives to support the industry, by including a minor surcharge to their ticket prices, which supports independent venues.
Fender also participated, collecting more than £100,000 on his 2024 arena tour to support 38 local spots across Britain.
These funds helped venues that were confronting imminent closure due to challenges arising from water damage, blazes and bereavements, as well as licensing issues, legal disputes and neighbor objections.
Some locations obtained monetary aid in improving infrastructure and gear that positively impacted artists and concertgoers.
"The notion that funds from performances in big venues backs the smaller venues, where it kicks off for performers like me, is just common sense," Fender has commented.
He is not the first artist to donate his award winnings to charitable organizations.
Back when the band won the prize in 1996 for their record their work, vocalist the singer announced that the group would contribute their winnings to the non-profit the charity.
That year, rapper and singer the artist divided her bounty across a few organizations, like the NSPCC and a charity for Sickle Cell.
"And I gave a thousand pounds to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics program, because I did gymnastics when I was younger and they needed new equipment," Ms Dynamite shared with a publication.
Two years ago, the band gave their prize money to the local youth club that supported their act, alongside other grassroots music organisations.
And 1994 winners M People gave their winnings to a charity for MS after a friend was diagnosed the illness.
"Receiving the award was quite enough," stated singer Heather Small. "The money was the bonus but we didn't require the bonus, because we had the cake. So our victory affected the lives of others."
In the past week, the trust revealed it had protected several local spots in the South East, by bringing them into public stewardship.
One venue in Southampton and the second in that location were acquired under the Own Our Venues initiative, which is supported by the arts council and enthusiasts who buy "stakes" in the buildings.
