Interested in modes of production, rurality, working life and class inequality. Born in the rural North of England, educated first in working class communities, then at The Sir John Cass School of Fine art (Fda Fine Art) and The London College of Communication (Ba Hons Photography). Her practice is as much about process, participation and working with communities. Coates’ key themes are Northern culture in rural places and working class life.

Coates is currently l Artist in Residence at Berwick Visual Arts and the Director of the Arts organisation Lens Think, to meet, share, grow ideas, & develop photography in the North of England. With the aims of fighting for class equality and a more creative industries through participation and radical community arts.

Joanne’s work has been exhibited both in the UK and internationally in venues including The Royal Albert Hall, Reveal-T Photography Festival, Cork Photo Festival and Somerset House. In 2012 during her Foundation year she was awarded a Metro Imaging Portfolio Prize, a Magnum Portfolio Review and The Ideastap innovators award. Upon graduation she was awarded Magenta Flash Forward Top 30 emerging talent in the UK, 2016. Joanne was one of the artists working in Hull, for the UK City of Culture in 2017. She was one of the 209 female photographers to photograph MPs for the centenary of the vote. She is a member of Women Photograph. (https://www.womenphotograph.com/) A co-founder of The Other (https://www.the-other-collective.com/) and Form Collective (https://www.formcollective.co.uk/). Her approach can be seen in commissions for BBC, Vice, The Guardian, The FT, The Telegraph, and more.