The musician donates £25,000 cash award to independent concert halls
The star has given the full amount of his twenty-five thousand pound honor prize money to the trust for venues, which operates to protect the UK's grassroots concert spaces.
He was given the prize on October 16 as his third album People Watching was declared the outstanding release of the past year.
He has decided to hand the money over to the trust, in appreciation of the vital role local spots had in his early career.
"As an artist wouldn't be doing my current career if it weren't for all the gigs I did around the region, and elsewhere, when I was just getting going," said the artist. "These locations are renowned, but they are struggling."
From early 2023 onward, at least 150 of these spaces have permanently closed – roughly one-sixth of the total UK scene.
Over the past year, well-known musicians like the band Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all supported the trust in its attempts to keep the scene afloat, by including a minor surcharge to their ticket prices, which goes to help smaller concert halls.
He also participated, raising in excess of £100,000 on his 2024 arena tour to help thirty-eight small stages across the UK.
The donation helped spaces that were dealing with imminent closure due to challenges caused by flooding, fires and bereavements, as well as regulatory hurdles, legal disputes and sound issues.
Some locations were granted funding support in improving infrastructure and technical equipment that directly benefitted performers and audiences.
"The notion that revenue from shows in major spaces supports the local stages, where it all starts for musicians like me, is just logical," the star has commented.
Fender is among several artists to contribute his honor winnings to charitable organizations.
In the band earned the award in the year 1996 for their album Different Class, vocalist Jarvis Cocker announced that the act would contribute their cash to the non-profit War Child.
During 2002, rapper and singer Ms Dynamite divided her bounty among several organizations, such as the NSPCC and a charity for Sickle Cell.
"Additionally, I donated a £1,000 to the center, to their classes, because I trained in gymnastics when I was growing up and they lacked updated gear," the artist shared with outlets.
Two years ago, they contributed their funds to the local youth club that nurtured their act, in addition to other grassroots music organisations.
Additionally winners that year M People gave their prize to a charity for MS after a acquaintance was diagnosed the illness.
"Receiving the award was ample," remarked vocalist Small. "The prize was the cherry on top but we didn't require the extra, because we had the main prize. So our success touched somebody else's life."
Recently, the MVT revealed it had rescued several small stages in the South East, by bringing them into public stewardship.
The Joiners in Southampton and the second in the city were purchased under the community ownership scheme, which is funded by a national body and music fans who buy "shares" in the buildings.