In this month’s edition of the BRIT Trust Diaries, we hear from Will Kennard, ELAM’s founder, who is also one half of the BRIT-winning electronic drum & bass duo Chase and Status, as the school marks its 10th anniversary…
In September 2014, 10 years ago this month, we embarked on a journey to bridge the gap between education and the creative industries with the aim of creating a model and space where young talent from underrepresented communities could thrive.
At the start of my own career I taught music production and technology in a large sixth form college in the heart of Manchester. These young people were from some of the toughest backgrounds, and the most deprived areas of the city. Those two years were as inspiring as they were thought-provoking. I was blown away by the talent I saw. I was excited about their prospects, thinking they would surely go on to have successful musical careers, but I became so disheartened when they weren’t able to fulfil their dreams in the same way I was beginning to.
This really bothered me because I’d seen how great these kids were and how much potential they had. The fact is, although it was a great school with very passionate teachers, the equipment wasn’t fit for purpose, the curriculum was dated and there was no connection between the school and the many music organisations in the city.
At the time my brother Charlie was working for Teach First, so we started hashing out ideas for how we could create a school that could give young people from underrepresented communities the type of musical and creative education they would need to have the best possible chance of success. With feedback and advice from the likes of Universal Music Group, YouTube, Spotify, and various recording artists, teachers and MPs we launched East London Arts & Music – ELAM – in a shared space in Stratford, East London.
ELAM is a free to attend state sixth form college, but the key difference is we’re plugged into the creative industries and the community we are part of. Our industry partners help shape our curriculum, provide work experience and internships, hold masterclasses on relevant topics, offer mentoring and ultimately make sure our trainees finish school as employable as possible and with great networks.
Over the past decade, we've seen incredible success. We moved into our own purpose-built building in 2017 and we’ve been thrilled to witness outstanding achievements by our alumni. As we celebrate our 10th anniversary, we feel that now is a perfect time to reflect on our beginnings, our milestones, and what the future holds.
ELAM’s foundation was built on a vision that all young people growing up in the UK should be able to see themselves reflected in UK culture. With the support of the music industry initially and now the games and film & TV industries, we have turned that vision into reality.
Our donors and partners' support has been instrumental, providing us with essential funding and industry engagement opportunities that have been vital to our trainees’ and alumni’s success. Since day one, we have endeavoured to build strong relationships within the creative industries so that we can provide our trainees with valuable networks and real-world experiences. Universal Music Group and The BRIT Trust were some of the first partners to join us on this journey and happily they are still very much part of our school.
One of the greatest measures of our success are the achievements of our alumni, who have gone on to make significant impacts in the music, games and film & TV industries. From signing major record deals to performing on iconic stages, studying at elite universities and working for major production companies, ELAM graduates are enjoying great success.
FLO, featuring alumni Stella and Rene, have been a shining star. They won the BRIT Rising Star Award 2023, they’ve performed at Glastonbury and Coachella, and appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live. Similarly, Sekou was nominated for the BRIT Rising Star Award 2024 and performed at the Glastonbury BBC Introducing Stage. Our alumni include incredible songwriting talents such as Ines Dunn and Tendai, both nominated for an Ivor Novello Rising Star Award in 2023.
It is also particularly worth noting that many of our alumni go on to have fantastic careers working behind the scenes as industry professionals and helping to power and deliver the UK's incredible music, games and film & TV industries – which is really what our school is all about.
We know we have a model that works, so now is the time to grow
Will Kennard
This year, we were delighted to retain our ‘Outstanding’ grade from OFSTED, a recognition of the hard work and dedication of our teachers and trainees. Our recent exam results were also our best ever, which shows how passionate and dedicated our teachers and support staff continue to be. I could not be more proud.
As we look to the future and the next 10 years of ELAM, our fervent wish is that we can expand our provision and support more young people from underrepresented communities to fulfil their potential in the creative industries. We know we have a model that works, so now is the time to grow.
The support from The BRIT Trust has been invaluable, helping to fund our state-of-the-art lecture theatre where showcases and masterclasses are held as well as crucial performance lessons, teaching on front and back of house equipment and stage management. Our relationship with the music industry, including the likes of UMG, UTA, PPL and September, as well as partners in the gaming and film & TV industries such as Sports Interactive and Ridley Scott, continues to be a cornerstone of our success and future prospects.
As we celebrate a decade of empowering young talent, we remain committed to our mission and our vision that all young people growing up in the UK should see themselves reflected in UK culture. The successes of our alumni are a testament to what we can achieve together, and with the continued support of The BRIT Trust, all our valued industry partners, and the dedicated ELAM community, the future looks brighter than ever. We are excited for the next chapter of ELAM, where we will continue to inspire, nurture, and launch the next generation of creative talent.
My profound thanks to everyone who has been part of our wonderful journey so far!
Will Kennard is the Founder of East London Arts & Music (ELAM).
Learn more about ELAM here: https://www.elam.co.uk/
