Want £10,000 to kickstart your music project?

Breaking into the music industry is no small feat. It’s a notoriously gatekept world. And without substantial connections or an established online presence, putting yourself out there or trying to ​“make it” can feel like shouting into the void – even for the most talented producers, artists, selectors and organisers.

The good news: Relentless is back once again with its Freeform Forum initiative, a springboard for the next generation of musical movers and shakers. The folks over at Relentless know the financial barriers and how tricky it can be to manoeuvre the industry. The mentor programme, launched in 2023, aims to help underrepresented creatives and those opting for an unconventional path find their voices.

What’s in it for the recipient? Well, alongside mentoring from a roster of industry forces, a £10,000 creative fund. Naturally, we know it won’t be an easy job selecting a host of creatives – we have our work cut out for us here at THE FACE – because we’ll only be shortlisting 10 of the strongest applications. But, ultimately, it boils down to finding one individual who possesses a knack for innovation and has ideas that are ahead of the curve. The more disruptive, the better.

Sound like you? If so, applicants nationwide – yep, all corners of the nation! – are encouraged to apply (below), outlining their proposal, its potential cultural impact and community benefits. They should also make a case for how their work aligns with the mentors. From there, THE FACE will pull together a tight list of the most compelling applications. The creative fund recipient will be allocated a one-hour session with each mentor to develop their project.

Previous winners include Leztopia, London-based queer night for underrepresented FLINTA voices in music, supported by DJ mentor Sherelle. And Ade, an aspiring Manchester-based filmmaker who’s gone on to produce a music video, with the help of mentor and director, Tajana Tokyo. Not sounding too shabby, eh?

Last year, mentors included renowned DJ and producer Sherelle and UK rap star AntsLive. This year, it’s the roving and very viral DJ AG; producer to the stars, Mura Masa; and the experienced DJ, host and curator NAINA. Each mentor embodies the kind of perseverance, tenacity and bigger-picture thinking we’re looking for. Take DJ AG: After ditching his nine-to-five as a salesman in 2023, Tottenham-raised Ashley Gordon turned his hands to live-streaming sets. His highstreet DJ sets quickly picked up traction, resulting in appearances from local MCs, reggae legends and major names including Skepta and JME, Krept and Konan, Ms Banks and Burna Boy. Only a few months ago he teamed up with Relentless and Pirate Studios to offer music collectives across the UK access to a top-notch soundsystem.

Equally inspiring is Mura Masa, or Alex Crossan as it reads on his passport, who has cemented his status as a household name with big-ticket productions and songwriting credits – A$AP Rocky, Stormzy and Charli xcx, among them. Along the way, the Guernsey-born producer has put his stature to good use, orchestrating regional tours across the UK to support homegrown musicians outside the big smoke.

As for NAINA, the South Asian DJ has honed her own distinctly leftfield, high-speed sound. She co-founded the Hoover Sound record label with bestie Sherelle, and spotlit countless new producers through a monthly mixer she co-runs, No Edits (you might have spotted her going B2B with Tim Reaper at the Freeform Weekender last September at The Cause, too).

All this to say, 2025’s trio of mentors are more than qualified in bringing a good idea to life. Consider this your sign to get moving and send your application through sharpish.

Applications are open from now until 5pm on 4^th December 2025