From singing in Elvis tribute bands to nurturing creative young minds across the country, meet our inspiring new Wellbeing Lead, Elli…

Tell us a little about yourself.

Hi, I’m Eleanor Chapman (also known as Elli!) and live in Lancaster. I’ve always loved singing, performing and the theatre. Working behind the scenes wasn’t something I had originally thought possible, but I landed my first paid job in the arts at my local theatre as a box office assistant. It was seasonal and part-time. I was 17 and felt like I had won the lottery.

That same summer, I could be found most Sundays playing the trumpet on Morecambe prom as a member of Baybeat Street Band – run by music education charity, More Music. But it was about so much more than technical skill: it gave me spirit. I was a young, single parent who was now part of a community of drummers, instrumentalists and dancers. These creative experiences got me out of the house, developed my confidence in social situations, helped me find my tribe and unlocked my full potential.

I became hooked on the transformative power of the arts and followed a career path in culture participation for 25 years. I’ve worked as a lead facilitator for BBC Blast on Tour, Super Mentor for Youth Music, and Arts Award Regional Coordinator, among other roles. It’s been varied, but has always involved young people and using the arts to help them progress.

What does music mean to you?

It’s a continuous mixtape that provides the soundtrack to my life – from my daily routine to important rites of passage. (On cassette, of course – I am a ‘90s girl after all.) It’s the track that goes off with my morning alarm to help me achieve the impossible and get out of bed, or the playlist that motivates me to get a report over the line. It’s my go-to for every emotion – whether that’s a dance track for feeling jubilant, or music to reflect and evoke memories.

Pictured: Wellbeing Lead, Elli (middle left), enjoys an afternoon of music-making at NOFA Festival 2021

Music has afforded me so much opportunity. As a teenager I performed and sang wherever I could. In my 20s I took on the role of Cath Westmoreland (an opera-singing backing vocalist) in a tribute band that played for different Elvis’s across the UK – I loved travelling around in a bus with other musicians! I’ve also taught musical theatre to college students and held community vocal sessions for young people in village halls, prisons, travellers’ sites and skate parks.

While music has taught me a trade, it’s also been about experiences, friends, colleagues and learning new skills. It has got me through the best of times and the worst of times. It’s consistent. Wonderfully non-judgemental. For me, it’s about wellbeing and has always been the one area of my life where I do not come with predefining or assumptive labels – the care leaver, school refuser, in a wheelchair. I’m just Elli, a musician and performer.

Have there been any standout moments in your career so far?

In 2012, I was awarded the Natwest EveryWoman Gaia Award for social entrepreneurship and became a Clore Fellow in 2017. I am deeply proud of these moments and think that’s what people might expect me to pick, But actually, it is often the most discreet of times that others might pass off as fairly meaningless that are my standout moments. Tiny shifts that are crucial to individual success and development.

My work has always been about creating a space where young people can produce and grow creatively. Opportunities that allow them to be curious, explore and nourish their unique capabilities. That could be enabling a young person to make and screen their first film, like when I was regional project director for BFI Film Academy, or watching a young artist respond to their first professional commission at Latitude Festival, where I produced the Inbetweeners Area. Young people never fail to inspire me. They are like chicken soup for the soul.

“Young people never fail to inspire me,” says Elli. “They are like chicken soup for the soul.”

You’ve just joined Orchestras for All (OFA) as Wellbeing Lead. That’s unique in the sector – what are your ambitions for it?

My vision is for deep-rooted, long-term change, using the arts as a means of encouraging young people to progress, develop their interests, sustain newfound skills and flourish in all aspects of their lives. To be ambitious and unapologetic about demanding the absolute best for the young people we work with – and bold about the ways in which we do it.

OFA members must be shown how to manage their own wellbeing and understand what they need in order to be the best they can. As OFA staff, we are responsible for removing any barriers to participation and will offer both high challenge and high support.

We have a golden opportunity to refocus the lens on what talent and intelligence can look like – not based on linearity or conformity, but organic process. This is particularly important for young people who might not follow traditional rites of passage. Instead of hiding behind readily available clichés and stereotypes, we should consider how their life experiences or challenging circumstances give them a unique skill base to offer the world of work.

Why is wellbeing so important for young people today?

Young people literally have the weight of the world on their shoulders. An increasingly fast-changing and interconnected world, where many of the jobs of today will be obsolete by tomorrow. Most people currently living on the earth are under the age of 30, so why doesn’t this huge source of talent, innovation and energy for change translate into a stronger and more productive workforce?

It’s imperative that we equip them with the skills, confidence and aspirations to tackle some of the biggest problems facing our human family. As a sector, we need to support and develop the next generation of change makers.

I utterly believe in their capabilities. It is all too easy to fall into the trap of creating too big a distinction between ‘young people’ and ‘adults’. A common perception is that experience can only come from age and therefore only older people make good leaders. Are we collectively disregarding the impact of having leaders start early? We need to step up to the plate and support young people to run the world.

If you could share three top tips on wellbeing, what would they be?

Take a moment to breathe and be present in the moment.
Try and do five things every day that are just for you. These could be small things – playing your favourite tune on the piano, painting your nails, talking to a friend or family member, or spending time with your nose in a book.
Make a gratitude jar and fill it with moments (written on post-its) about things you have done that made you happy or proud, or other memories you want to keep. Take them out whenever you need a reminder or are having a bad day.

And finally, please complete the sentence. Orchestras for All is…

…a diverse base of talent, not a singular conception of what equals ability.

To fund a life-changing programme for young musicians, please donate today >