The star has donated the complete sum of his twenty-five thousand pound Mercury Prize prize money to the MVT, which functions to save the Britain's small live music spots.
The star was presented with the award on October 16 as his new release People Watching was declared the outstanding release of the past year.
The musician has chosen to donate the funds to the MVT, in recognition of the vital role small stages played in his beginning days.
"I would not have achieved my current career if it weren't for all the gigs I performed around the area, and beyond, when I was starting out," stated Fender. "These venues are iconic, but they are struggling."
Beginning in 2023, at least 150 of these spaces have permanently closed – about 16% of the whole industry in the UK.
In the last year, well-known musicians like Pulp, the group Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Sheeran have all aided the Music Venues Trust in its efforts to help venues survive, by including a modest fee to their ticket prices, which benefits independent venues.
Sam Fender also joined in, generating over £100k on his 2024 arena tour to assist thirty-eight local spots across England, Scotland, and Wales.
The money helped venues that were facing potential shutdown due to difficulties stemming from flooding, fires and personal losses, as well as licensing issues, legal disputes and neighbor objections.
Other venues were granted financial assistance in improving infrastructure and sound and lighting systems that helped artists and fans.
"The notion that money from concerts in big venues supports the local stages, where it begins for musicians like me, is just logical," Fender has commented.
He is not the first artist to donate his honor funds to good deeds.
When they won the prize in 1996 for their record Different Class, frontman Cocker declared that the band would give their winnings to the charity War Child.
During 2002, musician Ms Dynamite split her prize among a few organizations, like the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell organization.
"Additionally, I donated a grand to the center, to their classes, because I did gymnastics when I was a child and they needed updated gear," Ms Dynamite explained to a publication.
Two years ago, the band contributed their funds to the local youth club that developed their band, alongside other local music groups.
Additionally the 1994 recipients they contributed their award to a MS organization after a close contact was found to have the condition.
"Receiving the award was ample," stated vocalist Small. "The money was the cherry on top but we didn't require the cherry, because we had the honor. So our victory touched another person's life."
In the past week, the MVT announced it had protected a couple of small stages in the South East, by bringing them into local control.
One venue in that area and the second in the city were purchased under the Own Our Venues initiative, which is funded by Arts Council England and enthusiasts who purchase "stakes" in the properties.
