LIVEwire is a new poetry organisation, formed at the beginning of 2024. We’re specialising in live events and writer development, and aim to champion poets from all walks of life.
We’re a small organisation, evolved from independent spoken word record label Nymphs & Thugs. Our team is Matt Abbott (Founding Owner), Jack Simpson (Director), and Maria Ferguson (Associate Producer). We also welcomed Salena Godden as an Official Patron in September 2024.
At present, most of our funding comes from Arts Council England. If you’re a partner venue interested in hosting a LIVEwire event, please contact Matt Abbott on matt@livewirepoetry.org.
Matt Abbott Founding Owner
Matt is a poet, educator, and activist from Wakefield. His critically acclaimed show Two Little Ducks was published as a poetry collection in 2018. His debut kids’ collection A Hurricane in my Head was published by Bloomsbury in 2019. Matt formed Nymphs & Thugs in 2015 and is aka the Skint & Demoralised frontman.
Jack Simpson Director
Jack has been at the heart of Leeds’ cultural landscape for most of the 21st century. Known for projects including Vibrations Magazine, Eiger Studios, The State of The Arts, and Hyde Park Book Club, he’s also been a Director of Nymphs & Thugs since 2016 and will shape the growth of LIVEwire in this new era.
Maria Ferguson
Associate Producer
Maria is a poet and multi-award-winning theatre-maker from Romford. Her one-woman shows are Fat Girls Don’t Dance and Essex Girl. Maria’s debut poetry collection Alright, Girl? was Highly Commended in the Forward Prizes. Her follow-up Swell is being published by Penguin in 2025.
Salena Godden FRSL Patron
Salena is one of the UK’s foremost poets – known throughout the scene for her electrifying live performances and her truly unique brand of poetry. Salena recently took the literary scene by storm with her debut novel Mrs Death Misses Death. She signed to Nymphs & Thugs in autumn 2016 and was instrumental in our growth.
LIVEwire Poetry 