Sam Batley is an award winning writer, poet and artist based in Liverpool. Originally from South Yorkshire, he came to Merseyside in 2019 for drug and alcohol recovery. Sam has written short stories and created art for around 10 years, throughout his issues with substance abuse, but since coming clean he’s been able to realise his potential.

Sam regularly performs his poetry at spoken word events, and his writing and artwork have been featured in a variety of publications and exhibitions across the country. In 2021, he published his first sell-out collection of short stories and poetry Everyday Bastard and wrote, produced and performed in his first short film Three-Bull-Mastiffs-in-a-Corner-Kitchen. The film, is centred around an autobiographical poem written by Sam in recovery, which reflects honestly on the toxic themes that played a role in his youth. The film won at Bolton International and has been selected for various film festivals nationally and internationally. Sam produced and presented a feature length documentary One Day At A Time as a follow up to the film, which has been programmed for its world premiere at ‘Sheffield Documentary Festival.

Throughout his artwork, photography and writing, Sam reflects on identity and self, tracing the marks left by the characters he has encountered in his life. He takes inspiration from life’s dualities – from isolation and loss of purpose to the joy and interconnectedness of community he has found in recovery.