Matt Abbott Poet

i’ve been writing poetry commissions for a wide range of organisations since 2014. this has included several national tv advertising campaigns, global recruitment campaigns, centenary events, brand launches, seasonal campaigns, and many more.

i pride myself on offering a unique and personal touch to all commissions, whilst still conveying the desired message. this can include a range of tones and styles to suit your needs.

obviously, each commission is unique, and i work on terms that suit the client. after an initial email discussion, we’d need a briefing call (either telephone or video is fine) in order to agree on a timeframe and how the poem should feel.

also…if you’re looking to commission a poet, but i don’t work for your campaign – i can’t recommend Maria Ferguson highly enough!

below are some examples of my previous commissions. please use the contact form if you have a commission that you’d like to discuss. my fee varies depending on the nature of the commission and any usage involved. please note that i’m not currently taking on personal commissions for individuals.

Leeds United FC | Centenary kit launch | Jul ’19

this is quite possibly the biggest honour of my career to date: being commissioned by my boyhood club to write the poem for their centenary kit launch, voiced by Ralph Ineson.

Blue Peter | National Poetry Day live episode | Oct ’19

unfortunately, i don’t have a video clip of this. but i was chuffed to appear on Blue Peter’s live episode for National Poetry Day 2019, and performed this commissioned poem as part of my appearance.

Jeremy Corbyn MP | General Election campaign poem | Dec ’19

this is another contender for my greatest honour. Jeremy Corbyn’s team invited me to write this poem for the 2019 General Election campaign, and Michael Sheen agreed to read it.

Nationwide Building Society | National TV ad campaign | Apr ’20

for my third Nationwide ad, i was asked to write a poem alongside my better half Maria Ferguson, with a message to ourselves in six months time. as it happened, it was almost six months to the day until our (planned) wedding date…

Nationwide Building Society | National TV ad campaign | Apr ’19

i was invited to write these poems whilst researching the cultural history of Wakefield’s city centre, and i’m thrilled that Nationwide have ended up using them for another campaign.

Nationwide Building Society | National TV ad campaign | Sep ’16

this poem was a major national TV ad campaign for Nationwide Building Society, and was one of the original three which launched their Voices Nationwide campaign. my poem received over a million views online.

BT Sport | Marcelo Bielsa farewell poem | Mar ’22

the poem that i never wanted to have to write! for Leeds United’s first fixture since Marcelo Bielsa’s emotive dismissal, BT Sport commissioned me to write this poem as part of their matchday coverage. it was a huge honour to be asked to express this thank you on behalf of the LUFC fanbase.

Cancer Research UK | Pledge Pathway To Progress poem | Jul ’19

my Mum was diagnosed with cervical cancer in September 2015, and within six weeks she’d been given the all-clear. i realise how incredibly lucky we are, but even then, it was one of the most harrowing experiences of my life. so i’m really proud to have been commissioned to write this reversible poem for Cancer Research UK.

Fly The Flag for Human Rights Day | Dec ’20

one of the aims of the Fly the Flag campaign was to remind people what their basic human rights actually are. this includes food and shelter.

Gü Puds x FareShare | Christmas poem | Nov ’20

everybody loves a Gü Pud (they do vegan and gluten-free options before you say anything). but what i really love is that Gü teamed up with FareShare UK for Christmas 2020. so, it was great to be asked to write this!

European Youth Forum | Yo!Fest poem | May ’18

this was the official poem for the European Youth Forum‘s bi-annual Yo!Fest event, which took place in Strasbourg in June 2018 and attracted around 10,000 young people. i also performed at the event.

Black Sheep Brewery | Drink Cask Beer poem | Feb ’22

i’ve seen a few people say that if you are going to do a poetry commission for a brand, it should only be for brands that you enjoy. well, i can’t say that that’s not the case with Black Sheep Brewery and their Drink Cask Beer campaign…! my commissioned poem is brilliantly performed by Chantelle Pierre.

Leeds United Supporters’ Trust | World Poetry Day poem | Mar ’21

it’s quite a thing to be able to say that this was one of the craziest 12-month periods in Leeds United’s history. the range of fans reading the poem is incredible, too – from Rune Temte to Heidi Haigh.

Welcome to Leeds | Leeds United promotion poem | Jul ’20

for fairly obvious reasons, this was extremely enjoyable to write. a poem to welcome Leeds United back to the Premier League after 16 agonising years, on behalf of Welcome to Leeds and the city. voiced again by the brilliant Ralph Ineson.

Eureka! The National Children’s Museum | #Eureka25 | Jun ’17

i was selected as one of Eureka‘s ambassadors as part of their 25th birthday celebrations, and they commissioned me to write this poem in order to celebrate the campaign.

Arts Council Collection | Revolt & Revolutions exhibition | Jan ’18

i was honoured to be commissioned by Arts Council Collection to write a poem in response to the Revolt & Revolutions exhibition at Yorkshire Sculpture Park. there’s more content and a video here.

Academies Enterprise Trust | #RemarkableLives | Sep ’18

this poem helped to launch a new identity for AET, and the title has since been incorporated into their new logo, as each of their schools – with a total of over 37,000 pupils and 6,000 staff.

Morgan Sindall Construction | Operation Spitfire | May ’20

i love history-based projects such as this one. The Spitfire is a British icon, and i’ve done a fair bit of work in Stoke-on-Trent over the years, so it was great to combine the two for this commission.

North Ormesby Primary Academy | COVID-19 mural | May ’20

i’ve taught at NOPA a couple of times and am very fond of Middlesbrough in general, so was honoured when they asked me to write a poem for their COVID-19 mural. the poem sums it up perfectly by saying that it’s so much more than a school!

Welcoming Young Refugees | Refugee Week 2020 | June 2020

this commission was made even more special by the fact that one of the couples mentioned, Sally and Steve, took me to the Calais Jungle for the first time in April 2016. a cause that’s very close to my heart.

Blyth Spartans AFC | Future Fund campaign | Jul ’20

as a supporter of Blyth Spartans since 2012 and a non-league fan in general, i was thrilled to be commissioned to write this poem as the club’s Future Fund looks to heal the damage inflicted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

York Arc Light | Making Every Adult Matter campaign | Nov ’14

this poem is now a regular part of my spoken word sets, and led to me becoming an ambassador for Trinity Homeless Projects, who adopted it as their “anthem” in summer 2015.

Long Division Festival | #OntoTheStreets project | May ’19

inspired by my Instagram feed, i was commissioned to write ten short poetic odes to former musical haunts in Wakefield. these were displayed in empty shop windows in the city centre during Long Division Festival 2019.

York St John University | Recruitment campaign | Oct ’16

a recruitment poem for York St John University in October 2016.

Roger Steare | How To Be Good At Work | Feb ’18

i met Roger at some events which we took part in for Nationwide Building Society. i respect his ethos as the Corporate Philosopher and was thrilled to work with him on this piece.

Efficiency North | EN:Able poetry anthology | Sep ’17-Apr ’18

i wrote a poetry collection for Efficiency North, after spending 6 months visiting various community projects around the Yorkshire & Humber region; all of which have been funded by their EN:Able scheme.

Other commissions

i’ve also been commissioned by Philosophy Football, Foundation Futures, The Football Pink magazine, the Orgreave Truth & Justice Campaign, Purely Organic, One to One Development Trust, and more.