Meli’s first degree in Australia was in performing arts and social anthropology afterwards completing a Diploma of Education and teaching social studies and drama. He later completed an MA in Arts Policy and Management at City University in London. He was a civil servant at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport where he advised ministers on a range of cultural issues including social exclusion in the arts and the arts and health. He moved to Arts Council England, where he wrote the Council’s first national arts, health and wellbeing strategy and was part of the team that developed the Creative People and Places Scheme working to increase participation in the arts in areas of England with low levels of participation or a lack of arts infrastructure. Meli is currently a committee member of the Richard Wagner Society and a trustee of the music charity, Song in the City.