The artist has handed over the complete sum of his £25k Mercury Prize prize money to the Music Venues Trust, which works to preserve the United Kingdom's small live music spots.
He was given the prize on October 16 as his new release People Watching was declared the outstanding release of the previous year.
He has chosen to donate the funds to the MVT, in recognition of the essential function small stages played in his beginning days.
"I personally wouldn't be doing my current career if it weren't for all the performances I did around the area, and beyond, when I was starting out," said Sam Fender. "These spaces are iconic, but they are facing challenges."
Since the start of 2023, over 150 of these venues have ceased operations – approximately 16 percent of the whole industry in the UK.
Recently, major artists like the band Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all backed the MVT in its efforts to keep the scene afloat, by applying a small levy to their admission fees, which supports smaller concert halls.
Sam Fender also joined in, raising in excess of £100,000 on his live tour to support numerous grassroots venues across England, Scotland, and Wales.
The money assisted venues that were dealing with possible closure due to issues arising from floods, fires and family tragedies, as well as regulatory hurdles, conflicts and neighbor objections.
Some locations received funding support in modernizing facilities and gear that positively impacted artists and fans.
"The concept that funds from performances in big venues supports the smaller venues, where it kicks off for performers like me, is just sensible," Sam Fender has said.
He is far from the only musician to give his honor funds to worthy causes.
When Pulp received the trophy in 1996 for their album the album, lead singer Cocker announced that the band would contribute their prize money to the non-profit the charity.
In 2002, musician the artist divided her award between several charities, like the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell charity.
"And I contributed a grand to my local community centre, to their classes, because I did gymnastics when I was a child and they needed better apparatus," she shared with outlets.
Previously, Ezra Collective donated their prize money to the local youth club that nurtured their act, as well as other local music groups.
Additionally the 1994 recipients they gave their award to a charity for MS after a acquaintance was found to have the illness.
"Winning was ample," remarked singer the singer. "The money was the bonus but we didn't need the bonus, because we had the honor. So our victory affected the lives of others."
In the past week, the Music Venues Trust shared it had rescued two grassroots venues in the South East, by transferring them to public stewardship.
The Joiners in the city and the other in the city were bought under the public acquisition initiative, which is supported by a national body and supporters who buy "ownership units" in the buildings.
