Elianne Mahay-Goodrich, the force behind Leztopia, a FLINTA club night in London, has been awarded the Relentless Energy Freeform Forum 2024 Creative Fund, in partnership with Pirate Studios.

Over the last few months, Relentless Freeform Forum, in collaboration with Pirate Studios, has pushed 12 young and disruptive creators to their limits. Levelling the playing field and empowering those willing to break the mould, the initiative encouraged anyone aged 18-25 to apply with an idea and how they’d like to bring their vision to life. After expert mentorship from industry leaders, Elianne Mahay-Goodrich has been awarded the Freeform Forum fund to support her new and inclusive club night Leztopia, which marks a major milestone in her mission to reshape the city’s underground music scene.

 

Through the mentorship programme, Elianne worked closely with renowned DJ and producer Sherelle, gaining insights and strategies to bring her vision for Leztopia to life. Leztopia, the FLINTA – Female, Lesbian, Intersex, Trans and Agender focused club night, creates a safe space for the queer community to party and held its fourth successful event at The Yard Theatre in September, featuring performances by Michelle Manetti and Dykes on Decks mainstays Alex Lebby and Berry.

The funding will allow Elianne to further develop the event series in 2025, including a highly anticipated anniversary celebration in Edinburgh, as well as plans for a record label and artist agency aimed at supporting FLINTA creatives in the music industry. Sherelle, who mentored Elianne throughout the programme, praised her for challenging the status quo and providing a vital platform for underrepresented voices in the scene. “With UK nightlife in decline, the subcultures that rely on it are at risk. As one of the few female promoters, Elianne provides a much-needed safe haven through her event, which pushes boundaries in the music industry. We need more promoters like her who are dedicated to challenging norms and advocating for change,” she says.

 

Reflecting on the opportunity, Elianne said, “Working with Sherelle has been transformative. Her mentorship has pushed me to rethink what’s possible, and this fund will allow me to amplify Leztopia and continue creating spaces where diverse voices can thrive.”

Freeform Forum, now in its second year, is part of Relentless’s ongoing commitment to empower emerging talent and breaking down the barriers that young creatives face. This year, the initiative was mentored by industry leaders Sherelle, AntsLive, AZ Captures and Troy Roscoe. They were matched with 12 aspiring creatives at the start of the mentorship and honed in on their ideas before the projects were completed and the winner was selected. Elianne’s success highlights the programme’s impact, and we can expect more boundary-pushing projects from the next wave of talent in the coming year.

 

Keep an eye out for next year’s Freeform Forum. For more information and updates, visit here.