Eli Crossley: The Pursuit to Play
Fresh off performing and speaking at SXSW for British Underground's Future Art and Culture programme, musician Eli Crossley, his mother Emily Reuben OBE and British Underground founder Crispin Parry feature in BBC technology journalist Nick Kwek ‘s documentary “Click”, raising awareness for access to technology that helps people like Eli, who has Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD), keep his artistry alive.
Click airs after Emily, Eli, Nick and Hayley travelled to Austin (TX) for the Future Art and Culture Tech for All: Unlocking Creativity with Inclusive Innovation panel, exploring the possibility of an inclusive, innovative future. “We can get man to the moon, we can carry a computer in our pockets. Why can’t we make a wheelchair that Eli actually loves and helps him be part of society?” asks Eli’s mum Emily Reuben, who is also Founder and Chief Executive at Duchenne UK.
(left to right) Emily Reuben, Eli Crossley, Nick Kwek and Hayley Philippault at the Future Art and Culture ‘Tech for All’ panel. SXSW 24, Austin, Texas.
The 16-year-0ld musician made headlines last year as the youngest ever performer at Glastonbury music festival 2023, and he has since gained support from the likes of Bon Jovi and Paddy Dunning at SXSW 2024.
While there is no cure for DMD, which is a progressive condition that causes the muscles in Eli’s body to gradually weaken, there is no stopping Eli. “The end goal is to get a music contract with my band Askew”, he says, and thanks to a new exo-skeletal SMART suit designed by Hayley Philippault at Duchenne UK and developed with Eli, playing guitar and singing onstage is still possible. Duchenne UK’s hope is that with access to advanced technology, Eli and those with similar mobility challenges can be better supported to live a fuller, happier life.
Find out more about Eli and his pursuit to play by watching "Click":
Future Art and Culture is produced by British Underground and Arts Council England with partnership support from the British Council.
