September Artist of the Month –Matt Abbott
Our September ‘Artist of the Month’ is poet Matt Abbott.
About Matt Abbott
Matt Abbott is a poet, educator, and activist from Wakefield. He initially made his name on the indie music scene as Skint & Demoralised lyricist/frontman from 2007-13. Since then, he’s established himself on the UK’s thriving spoken word scene.
His debut solo show Two Little Ducks earned 5* reviews at Edinburgh Fringe 2017 and on a 2018 UK theatre tour. The show’s poems were published as his debut collection by Verve in 2018. Matt’s debut kids’ poetry collection A Hurricane in my Head was published by Bloomsbury in 2019.
Notable projects include a hat-trick of national TV ads for Nationwide Building Society, a live appearance on Blue Peter, a cameo in Beano Magazine, and a poem for Leeds United FC’s centenary kit launch. Matt is also an ambassador for Eureka! The National Children’s Museum.
What a visit from Matt entails
The main driving forces behind Matt Abbott’s school visits are inspiring pupils to find their creative spark; write in their own voice; and break down any barriers when it comes to poetry.
Matt works with KS2 upwards and is happy to tailor each school visit based on desired themes or outcomes. This can include full classes or smaller hand-picked groups. Matt also does a lot of work with KS3 boys who are struggling to engage with writing in general; inspiring confidence and presenting poetry in a new light.
Matt’s sessions can last between 1 and 3 hours, and all that he requires is a flipchart and pens for himself, and paper and pens for the participants.
Details can be found on his author page.
Feedback from Matt’s previous visits
“What a wonderful event! Matt hit the perfect tone for our students and dispelled some of those poet visit clichés perfectly. Sometimes students perceive poets to just be about nature and love and not about ‘real life’ but Matt helped our students to connect and engage immediately. His down to earth presentation and open honesty helped them to see that poets are indeed just like them. Engaging, funny and warm, he made our students at ease and confident to ask questions – they were hooked! We’ve already discussed running a Matt Abbott scheme of learning for next year!”
Sherburn High School
“The day last week with Matt Abbott went really well. The workshop was enjoyed by all the students participating. Matt got along with them really well and, in my opinion, the reason for that was that he kept it very simple and fun.”
Thistley Hough Acdemy
Read about Matt and his author visits on his author page.
Interview with Matt Abbott
When did you first become interested in poetry?
Far too late – not till I was 17! And even then, I was only exposed to a tiny sliver. From the age of 11, I was properly obsessed with lyrics and only listened to lyric-based bands or rappers. When I was 17, I discovered John Cooper Clarke (via Reverend & the Makers frontman Jon McClure) and styled myself as a teenage equivalent on the thriving Yorkshire music scene. Writing fast-paced rhyming poems and compering all kinds of gigs and festivals. But really, in hindsight, I was a lyricist without a band. And I only properly consumed JCC’s poetry at that point. It wasn’t until my mid-20s that I truly began exploring poetry.
Your book ‘A Hurricane in my Head’ has been chosen for one of the best books for Year 6s to read before they progress to secondary school, how do you feel about that?
It means the world to me because thinking back, that step up from Year 6 to Year 7 is one of the most drastic changes that most kids are guaranteed to go through. Particularly at such a relatively young age. And in a way, nothing can truly prepare you. So, if my poems can act as a friend or a guide for people who are going through that transition, then I’ve achieved my goal as a poet.
What were you aiming for when you wrote your book?
Firstly, to challenge preconceptions around what poetry is and what poetry can be. By writing about things like social media, homework excuses, boring trips to the supermarket, and the snooze button blues, I wanted readers to be surprised by what they saw on the page and revel in reading about things that are relatable.
Secondly, to use my poems to tackle harmful stereotypes – particularly around gender. Society is heavily structured around traditional gender roles and I’m hoping that our next generation will reject them entirely!
What’s your favourite thing about visiting schools?
Seeing the look on a pupil’s face when they realise that they have something to say and that somebody wants to hear it. That what they think and what they feel is valid, and that they have an immediate outlet to express and explore those things. It’s a real buzz witnessing that lightbulb moment during one of my sessions.
Do you believe young people are starting to recognise the beauty and freedom of poetry and it is no longer seen as something boring or old-fashioned?
Young people certainly seem to be more open to it nowadays. And much as social media can potentially be toxic and damaging, I do think it exposes young people to a wider range of content and ideas than you’d find through mainstream media. Also, the current education system is so focused on being right or wrong that when you introduce the sheer freedom of poetry, it’s a colossal gulp of fresh air.
It is National Poetry Day next month, a day which is increasing in popularity and every growing – what would you like to say to schools who make the effort for that day but then don’t celebrate poetry for the rest of the academic year?
Try to use National Poetry Day as a launchpad towards the end of the autumn term and build on that enthusiasm and momentum throughout the rest of the academic year. I think a lot of teachers are unsure about pushing poetry because (a) it has this reputation as a sacred cryptic artform and (b) the way that poetry is studied for GCSE isn’t the most fun and engaging. So, lean on wonderful organisations such as Authors Abroad, The Poetry Society, Arvon, The National Literacy Trust, Apples + Snakes, etc and let them coordinate it for you!
Which performer or writer inspires you?
Oof that’s an incredibly tough question and it’s a bit like choosing your favourite song or your favourite Greggs pasty. Right at this moment, I’d say Joelle Taylor. Partly for her decades-long devotion to working with young people through SLAMbassadors and other projects. And also because of her phenomenal achievements with her own work – most recently winning the T.S. Eliot Prize in January.
Do you believe everyone has the potential to be a poet?
I’d say the overwhelming majority of people. Anyone that has at least some interest in words and storytelling. I completely accept that for some people, poetry will just never appeal. But most people out there have the potential without ever realising it. And then find themselves writing a poem before a wedding or a funeral, for example – because poetry allows you to say the things that you can’t say in everyday conversation. It’s on a higher level. And that’s why it’s so vital.
What is the main message or impression you would like to leave with the young people you work with?
That poetry is fun and engaging and is a valuable tool for your personal development, even if you do it entirely in private. It’s not something to be studied in silence – it’s something to be shouted aloud!
You are one of the poets involved in the Authors Abroad Youth Poetry Slam – assigned to Leeds. Your final will be at The Carriageworks Theatre on the 27th March – our first in that area. With guest judges Rob Bradley, Spoz and Nick Toczek. How excited are you about this new venture and what are you hoping for?
This is incredibly exciting for me because it’s a total first. And I know that Leeds’ schools are fizzing with ideas, and voices that need to be heard, and discoveries waiting to be made. What I’m hoping is that some pupils will surprise themselves, end-up on stage, and fall in love with poetry for life. But also, that other pupils in the audience will see the slam taking place and vow to give poetry a go afterward. It’s a domino effect and I’m convinced that Leeds will send the dominos flying!
You also run our AIM High Writers Days for us what difference to an author visit does it make to be able to spend an entire day with a class of young people writing?
Those days enable us to fully deep dive into poetry. To explore some slightly more abstract themes and to play around with a wider and more intricate range of techniques. Some of the work that’s produced on those days is genuinely breath-taking and the pupils never cease to amaze me and introduce me to new ideas themselves.
Obviously, I love regular school visits. But they’re faster paced and more about whetting pupils’ appetite. The AIM High Writers Days are more of a masterclass, and they have the potential to turn curious poets into thriving ones.
What are you working on/planning at the moment?
Rather foolishly, for somebody that earns a living out of poetry, I’ve been writing a novel for the last 3 years. I have a handful of ideas for poetry collections burning away in my brain and am desperate to get started on them. But I need to get the novel finished first (or at least submitted to my prospective agent) and then I can get cracking with some poems again. It’s way, way overdue!
What did you enjoy reading when you were younger?
I did read books when I was younger but to be totally honest, I’d spend a lot more time reading the lyrics in CD booklets (kids – ask your parents) whilst listening to albums. Novels did interest me, but lyrics completely consumed my imagination. There’s a certain rapper who I became obsessed with at the age of 11 but I wouldn’t advocate or champion his work now. Special mentions go to The Streets and The Jam in my early teenage years.
Are you still involved in theatre after your successful Fringe run?
Putting together Two Little Ducks as an hour-long show was a huge learning curve for me. It was a sequence of 22 poems and massively pushed my boundaries and raised my bar. The Fringe run in 2017 made me a far better performer as well as making me realise what I needed to do to become a better writer.
I really enjoyed the UK theatre tour in 2018 as well and am proud of how the show ended-up. But I was very much a poet on stage in a theatre and am acutely aware of how much I’d need to learn before I called myself a theatre-maker.
Do you feel there is a big overlap between music and poetry?
There undoubtedly is – a lot more than people realise. And there’s a tangible overlap – from Lauryn Hill performing at Def Jam Poetry to Kae Tempest straddling the artforms almost 50/50. But also, I feel like a lot of music is just poetry in a different form. There are clearly stark differences as well, but on the Venn diagram of writing, being a poet and being a lyricist is a big juicy circle.
For example, certain Bob Dylan lyrics are as good as any poem I’ve ever come across. And there are a decent number of poetry collections on my bookshelf that you could comfortably perform over a beat.
What was the last thing that made you laugh out loud?
My nine-week-old baby attempting to copy me making animal noises and actually doing a half-decent job (for a nine-week-old baby).
Quick Fire
Sunshine or snow?
Sunshine, but let’s not take the mick, alright?
Would you prefer to be able to time travel or teleport?
My gut instinct was to time travel because I massively romanticise 1960s-80s culture and would also love to relive certain moments from my own lifetime. But imagine being able to get to Manhattan or Machu Picchu as quickly as you can get something from your fridge. Would do the environment a lot of good, too!
What food is your go to pick me up?
Beans on toast with grated cheddar and a bit of HP Sauce – it’s crucial to put the cheese and the HP on your toast before adding the beans.
Action or comedy films
I rarely like either, to be honest, because I’m so pretentious. My go-to is almost always a drama of some sort. Also, in case you think I’m totally square – I absolutely love TV sitcoms but always think that comedy films end-up having to try too hard.
Would you rather see the Great Barrier Reef or The Taj Mahal?
Oof another very tough question. My gut instinct is the Great Barrier Reef because I’m always more in awe of what nature’s created, as opposed to humans.
If you were Prime Minister for the day, what law would you introduce?
Oh wow, possibly the toughest of all! Off the top of my head… I’d make it illegal for corporations to be able to evade paying their fair share in tax. They should pay the full rate of corporation tax on all profits made in the UK, otherwise they lose their licence to trade here. Because (a) it sets the right precedent and (b) in theory we should be able to use the trillions gained in tax income to make even more positive changes. Not that I’d trust many governments to do that, but we can only dream!
Arrange for Matt Abbott to visit your school
To make an enquiry about Matt, or any of the other authors, poets & illustrators listed on this website, please get in touch. Our office number is +44 (0) 1535 656015,
UK visits
Email: UKbookings@caboodlebooks.co.uk
Or contact Head of UK Visits, Yvonne - 01535 279850
Overseas Visits
Email:Overseasvisits@caboodlebooks.co.ukooks.co.uk
Or contact Overseas Manager, Robin - +44(0) 1535 279853