Simon Poulter was born in Winchester Street, Farnborough, Hampshire, England in the winter of 1963 to John Poulter, an engineer from Farnham, Surrey and May Poulter. In his youth he attended Diss Grammar School, a strict and rather disciplinarian institution where he was an average boy - excelling in athletics and football. At the age of 15 he became embroiled in the politics of the then burgeoning punk rock movement and played in several unnamable bands. After a summer working in a small screenprinting workshop in Harleston, Norfolk, he attended Lowestoft School of Art where he was taught drawing by artist Bruer Tidman. Moving on to the Norwich School of Art he was encouraged by staff there to engage in Fine Art training. This he did, encountering several influential figures including the enigmatic Ian Graham and the accomplished artist Patrick Hughes. Poulter's work set a natural course towards politics and the English landscape, alongside his interest in music. Following several years living in a Buckinghamshire commune, Poulter returned to St Martins School of Art in London where he followed post-graduate painting. In 1995 'UK Ltd', his first work of national significance, arose out of an association with the curator and film-maker Mike Stubbs. His work moved centrally into a commentary on English culture and the role of the state. Since then he has been concerned with civil liberty, English identity and regeneration of England's cities. In 2009 Poulter was detained within the 'G20' kettle, renewing his long held desire to encourage the United Kingdom to move away from paranoia, mass observation and databases; towards an open system informed by its intelligent and free thinking people. He has two daughters, Nadja and Molly - both exceptional people.