Writer, Speaker, Producer, and NYFA Screenwriting Instructor Alex Simmons spoke at the 75th Anniversary of the National Art Education Association (NAEA) National Convention in 2022.
Watch Writer & Producer Alex Simmons discuss his work & career at the 2022 NAEA National Convention:
Similar to previous trailblazers in education, Alex Simmons continues to challenge the barriers of modern technology in education, equal representation, and the continued use of stereotypes in contemporary visual media. His renowned work and accomplishments as a creator of visual media are why Simmons was listed among several professionals in this year’s Celebration of National Arts in Education Week by NAEA.
In celebration of the arts and recognition of the transformative power of arts in education, the Americans for the Arts created the National Arts in Education Week. Beginning the second Sunday of September, the National Arts in Education Week takes place each year and highlights transformative figures in the field of education and visual arts.
Readers might be familiar with his feature in the Golden Globe Awards online magazine for his work on “BlackJack,” a comic about the tales of an African American soldier or fortune globetrotting during the turbulent 1930s. Additionally, Simmons wrote for Disney Books, Penguin Press, Simon and Schuster, DC Comics, and Archie Comics. He developed and led master classes across the globe, including in the United States, the Netherlands, Ireland, Senegal, India, Russia, and Serbia.
Producer and co-founder of Kids Comic Con, Simmons has been a member of various education boards, including the Africa Cartoon Centre (Nigeria), New York State Alliance for Arts Education, New York State Council on the Arts, and The Museum for Comics & Cartoon Art, among others.
Watch an Interview with Writer and Podcast co-host Christoper Ryan and Kids Comic Con Co-Founder Alex Simmons.
The writer and producer started his career as an actor in his late teenage years. His early portfolio included acting work in films and commercials. As time progressed, Simmons played various roles on stage and carried his career into voiceover work in commercials and public service announcements. When he realized he had been writing more than performing, Simmons pivoted to writing stage plays and screenplays in the documentary, fiction, and animation categories. According to the NYFA Instructor, “I’m still very active as a writer of children’s books, comics, and graphic novels.”
Currently, Simmons teaches screenwriting in the Filmmaking Department at NYFA and has taught screenwriting within the Animation and Producing Departments as well. A well-rounded teacher, Simmons has also taught Cinema Studies and a course on Directing Actors. When he is not teaching at NYFA, he coaches a set of private clients and works as a Arts-n-Ed consultant.
When asked about his experiences as a teacher and instructor, Simmons had this to say, “I get the greatest joy out of seeing students discover their abilities and voices as creatives. Whether they pursue this as a career or not, it empowers them as individuals, it improves their communication and collaboration skills and, combined with their creative vision, that is something they can take with them wherever they go.”
NYFA congratulates Alex Simmons on his incredible work, continued devotion to the craft of visual arts, and teaching visual arts to youth and adults alike. Check out Alex Simmon’s professional website, where you can find other talks, interviews, and trailers for all his comics and animations!