Matthew Conduit studied Fine Art at Mansfield College of Arts and then completed a BA Hons Fine Art at Sheffield Polytechnic in 1981. Thereafter, solo exhibitions included 'Groundwork' at Impressions Gallery, York and 'Groundwork' and 'Industrial Valley' at the Axiom Centre For The Arts, Cheltenham. He was involved in various group exhibitions including 'Landmarks' at Collins Gallery, Glasgow (with Paul Hill, John Davies and Keith Arnatt) and 'Image & Exploration' at The Photographers Gallery, London (and a subsequent British Council Eastern Europe exhibition tour).

After getting involved with the Untitled Gallery in Sheffield chiefly to use the darkroom facilities, Matthew became Director and relocated the gallery from its Walkley suburb to its current location in Sheffield’s city centre in 1988 (now Site Gallery). He then worked for over 10 years developing the Cultural Industries Quarter, Workstation cultural workspace & Showroom Cinema complex in Sheffield. In 2000 he founded Creative Industry Partnerships (ci:p) to work as a freelance consultant developing buildings and facilities to support the creative sector and creative producers across the UK (www.cipartnerships.co.uk).


On completing Industrial Valley in the late 80’s with a large show of the complete work curated by Mike Tooby at the Mappin Art Gallery in Sheffield, and finally getting the new Untitled Gallery open, his commitment to exhibiting new work diminished, coinciding with him leaving the Gallery. Matthew stepped back from producing new work seriously for several years, but started making pictures again around 2004 (see 'new work').

Since 2006, Matthew has been assisting Heeley Development Trust in Sheffield to redevelop the old Ann's Grove School into a cultural & community hub. (Ann's Grove).

In 2009, Matthew Conduit received an Arts Council England grant award to develop the new work and prepare for exhibition.