Maddi Crease - fine Artist and poet
Maddi Crease
I am a fine artist and poet with a strong interest in making meaningful, introspective work that reflects themes such as mental health, neurodivergence, gendered experiences and class. Through an auto-ethnographic approach, I explore how my lived experience conveys a broader expression of realities that differ from societal expectation. To quote my poetry, I aim to ‘make the unthinkable heard’.
Working across disciplines, I have been producing, showing and publishing my work since 2018. I have achieved multiple publications, exhibitions, and recently, funding with National Lottery Project Grants through Arts Council England. I have also been commissioned by BBC Sounds.
I recently completed my degree, achieving a First Class Hons Fine Art degree from University Centre South Essex.
Commissions, Residencies, Collectives and Funded Work
Southbank Centre - New Poets Collective
A collaboration between the Southbank Centre’s Talent & Artist Development department, Literature team and the National Poetry Library, supported by the TS Eliot Foundation. As part of Southbank Centre's 75th anniversary celebrations, this edition of the collective is extended to two years.
As a collective, we meet to read, write and share, as well as engaging with several outreach projects, such as the Mobile Poetry Library as part of A Poet in Every Port.
Autistic Joy - 2024
A micro-short poetry film exploring the side of autism that often goes unspoken and underexplored: the joyful. From happy stimming to sensory delight, Autistic Joy delivers an insight into the positives within our autistic experience.
Film festivals:
A&E Accessibility and Environment Film Festival - honourable mention
Lethbridge International Film Festival
Big Syn International Film Festival - honourable mention
Vesuvio International Movie Awards - semi-finalist
Essex International Film Festival
Courage Film Festival
International Short Film Festival Detmold
F-O-R-M Festival Of Recorded Movement
Oska Bright Film Festival
Also screened by:
Focal Point Gallery
Arnolfini Arts
Autistic Joy was produced with: Aaron Shrimpton of New Waverley Studios, Steve Pretty of Hackney Colliery Band, Hollie Dee, Liberty Bliss, Abigail Deehan and Rupert Vaughan.
Funded by Metal Culture and Arts Council England’s National Lottery Project Grants.
With thanks to Metal Southend, Arts Council England, SAFE Essex, Essex Film Collective, East 15 Acting School, and the focus group of 10 autistic peers.
Arts Council England - National Lottery Project Grants -2024
Arts Council England funding was achieved to produce a page, audio and film representation of 'Autistic Joy'.
Metal Southend - Artist in Residence - 2023
A month-long residency for research and development of 'Autistic Joy', a poetry project exploring joy and celebrating autistic people. Time was spent setting up a core focus group of 10 autistic peers; exploring written word; with the support and guidance of the Metal Southend team.
You can watch the film version of Autistic Joy here.
Metal Southend, English PEN and Southbank Centre (2021)
Essex Rebels
A week of paid workshops, culminating in a performance of 'The Unthinkables'. With Metal and English PEN, performed live at the Southbank Centre.
Screen South & BBC Arts, funded by Arts Council England (2021)
New creatives - CHAV
An audio poetry production that delves into stereotypes and realities of the working class, particularly council house residents, taking an auto-ethnographic, first-person narrative approach.
You can listen here!
Cultural Sector Network Conference (2021)
Emerge
Beatfreeks (2021)
The little things
A commission paying homage to Open Arts, a former mental health and arts charity that was pivotal to my development as an emerging artist.
Exhibitons
Degree Show
Three Rooms Gallery (2025)
With UCSE Ba Fine Art
The culmination of three years of study, my work in this exhibition included a variety of visual and text-based artworks on themes of enduring mental health, disability, gender and stigma. Presented alongside my peers' work.
Masking
Two Queens Leicester (2025)
Curated by Miffy Ryan
Alongside visual and performance art by a cohort of neurodivergent artists, I presented poetry to be read as part of wider experiential works.
Ba Fine Art Site Specific Show
Beecroft Art Gallery (2024)
With UCSE Ba Fine Art
Responding to the architecture of the Beecroft Art Gallery, and resulting in an interactive installation referencing brutalism and the meaning of a space.
Not Your Puzzle Piece
Virtual (2020)
Poetry documenting autistic lived experience.
Policy Making
With the Agency of Visible Women
Beecroft Art Gallery (2020)
Poetry video, working to the theme of policy as limitation or play.
Working with Open Arts
Rochford Art Trail (2019)
Open Arts open studio weekend and exhibition (2019)
Views of the Void (2019)
Open Arts Essex WMHD (2018)
& more...
Event hosting
Mobile Poetry Library
Southbank Centre/Metal Southend (27th & 28th June 2026)
A thoughtfully curated weekend of poetry workshops and performances from local poets on the Mobile Poetry Library for its Southend stop at Metal Southend. Open to members of the public, with additional outreach sessions.
The Listening Room:
Leigh Community Centre (2021-2025)
A monthly creative open mic with featured performers, raising funds for local charities.
Poetry, Raw :
The Miley, Rochford (2019)
The Old Waterworks, Southend (2019)
Virtual (2020)
Young Rhymes : Poetically Unapologetic :
Anna Freud (2019)
Publications
ROOTs (2023)
Collaborative zine with photographer Nicola Parry
Juiced Magazine (2021)
Intimacy
Bluebee Magazine (2020)
Issue 5 - Hyacinth
Backlash Press (2020)
Isolation Journal
Magical Women Magazine (2020)
BOREDOM-19 Zine (2020)
Young Writers (2016/2018/2018)
Spine Chillers / Grave Beginnings / Reflections
& more.
Education & training
Fine Art Ba - First Class hons - University Centre South Essex (2022-2025)
Art and Design - Access to HE - South Essex College (2021-2022)
Peer Support - With-You & SWLSTG (2021) & Peer Supervision - Imroc (2026)
Other relevant work experience
I am currently working in the charity sector in community mental health as a co-production worker. Here, I develop and deliver support to adult cohorts, and work with them to collaborate on feedback and ideas.
Anna Freud (2020-2025)
Youth Participation Programme Assistant
Working within lived experience of mental health, various tasks include delivering training and educational content to delegates; reviewing and co-producing new research interventions; delivering and hosting spaces to discuss mental health and linked subjects.
South West London St George's Mental Health Trust (2021)
Based across two inpatient mental health wards (women's acute, child & adolescent mental health services), collecting and summarising feedback from service users about their experiences within hospital, delivered with a lived experience approach.
My work in mental health requires a DBS check and as such I hold a clear enhanced DBS on the update service.