Matt Neylon, Director of Visual and Performing Arts at Mount Vernon High School has students exhibiting beautiful, professional work on a weekly basis.

From partnering students with prominent businesses like Porsche, to exhibiting their work in professional art galas downtown, Matt is an expert at curating the process and finding real world audiences for student work.

But what exactly is 'beautiful' work? Matt's answer might surprise you.

In this interview, you will learn some of Matt's simple strategies for curating work while also learning how to:

Get students to hold themselves to higher expectations, and save you from 'working all hours of the day'
Curate physical or virtual exhibitions of student work designed and curated by socially distanced learners
Stop aiming for perfection and accept that your students' work is beautiful and deserves to be seen
Create a culture of high standards and excellence

Connect with Matt:

Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn: @mattneylon

Facebook: @matt.neylon

View more of Matt's Work: https://cre8ivmvmt.com/

Matt's Bio:

Matthew Neylon is the Director of Visual & Performing Arts at The Mount Vernon School in Atlanta, GA where he helps staff & students navigate their creative curiosities and artistic aptitudes. He is a senior consultant with Mount Vernon Ventures and recently released an online course exploring Arts+Mindfulness. As a speaker, Matthew has the opportunity to work with hundreds of educators/artists annually by leading workshops & webinars on various topics from storytelling to arts leadership, STEAM education, mindfulness, trauma-informed care, and interdisciplinary curriculum design. Matthew seeks to help bridge art+innovation by exploring the intersections between various art forms with mental/physical wellness, diverse storytelling, and connection to emerging creative industries. Recently serving as the guest blogger for the NAEA Monthly Mentor blog, Matthew explored topics of race, whiteness, emotional health, gender, and ableism in the visual art community. Matthew & his partner are passionate advocates for the LGBTQ+ community and work to help people around the world reconcile faith+sexual orientation. His greatest joy, however, is providing opportunities for students and teachers to grow in their artistic/performance skills and find the intersection where passion, talent, and identity meet. Connect with Matthew on instagram or by visiting cre8ivmvmt.com - You are an artist. Be great.

What is Beautiful Work?

The Student-Centered Shift: Empowered International Schools and Classrooms Through Project-Based Learning