Workshops

I am an experienced Creative Writing teacher with an MA in Creative and Life Writing (Distinction) from Goldsmiths College, University of London.

Over the past twenty years, I have worked with the Poetry School, the Poetry Society, the Arvon Foundation, the George Orwell Foundation, The John Betjeman Poetry Prize, the Somerset Literacy Network, Fire River Poets, Story Door and the Arts Council to assist writers across the UK and in Tuscany, The Czech Republic, Poland and South Sudan to find their voices.

I have a particular interest in outreach work, aiming to get children writing and to help them recognise their own voices as unique and valuable. In this vein, I have led a number of national competitions for children, including the Somerset Young Poets Competition (2018, 2019, 2022) and the We Own It competition (2025).

Testimonial

Thanks again for your time and inspiration yesterday – the children all loved the session and are incredibly proud of the work they produced.
Simon Day-Hitchen, North Newton School

Somerset Young Poets Competition

The Somerset Young Poets competitions were based around visits to schools across the country, and were supported by the Arts Council, Fire River Poets and the Somerset Literacy Network. Between February and June 2019, I delivered workshops to over 2,000 students in three different age groups – 7-9, 10-12 and 13-16 – at over 30 schools and colleges. In all, over a thousand entries were received.

After judging the competition, prize-winning and commended poems were compiled into an illustrated anthology launched in Taunton library with the mayor in attendance. A display of winning and commended
entries consequently toured libraries across the county.

I have also used poetry with dementia sufferers in care homes (for which I received mentoring from John Killick) and with children exposed to severe trauma.

Work with Julian House

In 2025, I wrote and delivered an accessible and fun 60-minute workshop to over 120 staff from the homeless charity Julian House to facilitate reflection on their work and create group poems.

Testimonials

I just wanted to say a massive thank you for today, everyone really enjoyed the session and the poetry that people created was amazing!
Anna Raven, Assoc CIPD, Julian House

I second Anna’s thanks – I thought the session was brilliant and won over even the most cynical amongst us! We’re going to write up all the poems and create a little anthology, as they were all so fab.
Zoe Conn, Fundraising and Development Director, Julian House

To contact me about potential teaching work, drop me a line at matt.bryden@gmail.com.

About Me

An award-winning poet and educator based in the South West of England.

Matt is a fine communicator who engages audiences and groups quickly and easily. He enables and energises people, whatever their age or background. He is not afraid to explore unusual routes to engage people and it is this precisely that so often generates a successful outcome. People are surprised by him and, in turn, they frequently surprise themselves.
Pat Winslow, poet