Eleni : Marketing Assistant, Lancaster Arts
While Eleni completed their education at Lancaster University, they volunteered at Lancaster Arts, a public arts organisation, presenting performance for the public, staff and students, held in the Nuffield Theatre, Lancaster Concerts Series and the Peter Scott Gallery. Eleni later became a Marketing Assistant and after 2 years, became the Social Media Marketing Manager.
How did you find the volunteering experience?
Volunteering at Lancaster Arts for about a year was incredibly helpful for me. I had always heard about the value of volunteering, but actually doing it gave me invaluable work experience, a deep understanding of how the organization operates, and a chance to develop my existing skills. For me, volunteering at Lancaster Arts showed my dedication and enthusiasm, which ultimately helped me land the role of Marketing Assistant. During my three years as a volunteer, Lancaster Arts provided training, various opportunities, and even internships that enriched my experience.
As a Marketing Assistant, what were your responsibilities?
At first, I focused on Lancaster Arts’ social media platforms. The organization had a strong digital presence, and that’s actually how I discovered them in the first place. They were very active on Facebook and Twitter, but I saw an opportunity to grow their presence on Instagram, which is my favorite social media platform because I see it as a digital album. Since Lancaster Arts had so much visual content, I concentrated on building their Instagram presence, and a year later, the account reached over 1,000 followers.
Beyond social media, I worked on developing and maintaining relationships with societies, students, and other arts organizations to encourage engagement with Lancaster Arts’ programs. I promoted events to students both on and off-campus by organizing and leading weekly promotional stalls, coordinating poster sessions around campus with volunteers, and planning and delivering projects like the Volunteers Christmas Social, the LU Societies Social 2018, and The 7 Seas Festival 2019 in partnership with other students and LUSU. Through these experiences, I learned the importance of connecting with people, ideas, and creativity as part of an organization.
How did you find balancing a part-time job with being a student?
Balancing a part-time job with being a student wasn’t always easy, and there were definitely moments of stress. For example, having a deadline during a week when three events were happening at Lancaster Arts was really challenging, but I was mentally and physically prepared for it. There were times when I felt a lack of self-motivation and enthusiasm, like one day when I was working at the promotional stall and most people were quite moody. But then I reminded myself, “How can I focus on that when the people I’m working with—both the LA team and the volunteers—are the most amazing, supportive, and happy people?”
How did you feel about the overall experience?
This experience taught me that making a mistake isn’t the end of the world. I learned to give 101% effort and to be proud of what I accomplished, focusing on the positive side of everything and always striving for the best. My time at Lancaster Arts not only gave my CV a significant boost but also significantly increased my confidence as both an individual and an art marketer.
What do you do now?
Currently, I work as a Social Media Manager and Community Manager. My responsibilities include managing social media and content for the company, leading community management services for the agency’s clients, and organizing social events and team-building activities for the organisation. I also focus on developing a strong and engaged team culture, working closely with the Co-Founder and COO.