The musician gives £25,000 cash award to independent concert halls
The star has donated the full amount of his twenty-five thousand pound honor prize money to the trust for venues, which works to protect the United Kingdom's small live music spots.
The star was presented with the award on mid-October as his new release the album was named the best record of the last 12 months.
He has chosen to donate the funds to the Music Venues Trust, in recognition of the essential function local spots had in his early career.
"I personally would not have achieved my current career if it wasn't for all the shows I played around the area, and further afield, when I was beginning," stated the artist. "These venues are legendary, but they are in difficulty."
From early 2023 onward, at least 150 of these spaces have shut down – roughly 16 percent of the entire UK sector.
Over the past year, well-known musicians such as Pulp, Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Sheeran have all aided the MVT in its efforts to support the industry, by adding a small levy to their ticket prices, which benefits smaller concert halls.
Fender also participated, generating more than £100,000 on his 2024 arena tour to assist 38 grassroots venues across Britain.
The donation helped spaces that were facing imminent closure due to challenges arising from water damage, blazes and family tragedies, as well as regulatory hurdles, conflicts and noise complaints.
Additional spaces received monetary aid in upgrading infrastructure and sound and lighting systems that directly benefitted performers and audiences.
"The notion that money from performances in large arenas backs the independent spots, where it kicks off for artists like me, is just sensible," the star has said.
He is not the first artist to give his award winnings to good deeds.
When Pulp won the prize in the year 1996 for their release Different Class, vocalist Cocker announced that the act would give their winnings to the non-profit the charity.
That year, artist Ms Dynamite split her bounty between multiple good causes, such as the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell organization.
"I also gave a thousand pounds to the center, to their classes, because I did gymnastics when I was younger and they needed better apparatus," she told outlets.
Two years ago, Ezra Collective contributed their prize money to the youth organization that developed their band, in addition to other grassroots music organisations.
Additionally 1994 winners M People donated their prize to a multiple sclerosis charity after a acquaintance was found to have the illness.
"Winning was quite enough," remarked vocalist the singer. "The money was the bonus but we didn't need the bonus, because we had the honor. So our winning impacted another person's life."
Last week, the trust shared it had protected several local spots in south-east England, by placing them under local control.
The first in the city and the second in Bristol were acquired under the community ownership initiative, which is funded by the arts council and enthusiasts who purchase "shares" in the venues.