I wholly support the Arts Unit’s visual arts programs for New South Wales public school students and teachers. I have seen the benefits of what those programs bring to the students, allowing them to develop skills that they would otherwise not have experienced. And I admire the dedication of their teachers who continue to explore and develop their own skills to help their students.

Joanna Capon is a board member of The Sydney Children’s Hospital Network and the Sydney Children’s Hospital Network’s Health Care Quality Council, Chair of the Operation Art Management Committee, a board member of The George Institute for Global Health and a member of the Editorial Advisory Board of Art and Australia.

She was been a committee member of the Visual Art and Crafts Committee of the NSW Ministry for the Arts from 1997-2005 and was Chair of the Board of the Australian Centre for Photography from 2000-2007, a Board member of Museums and Galleries NSW from 2005 -2010 and a Board member of The Australia China Council from 2008-2011.

Joanna was a member of The Children’s Hospital at Westmead’s Board for 10 years and has been the honorary art curator at the hospital since 1995. In the latter role, Joanna has had an enormous impact on the healing environment of the hospital by developing a highly successful program of art donation.

She was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia in 2002 for services to the community.

She has written two books, Plaster Work. Styles, History, Materials, Suppliers. A Practical Guide (Random House, Australia, August 1991) and Guide to the Museums of China (Orientations, 2002) and published articles and lectured on Australian, European and Chinese art, industrial archaeology and the relevance of art as part of a healing environment.

Joanna Capon is an art historian, industrial archaeologist, curator, writer, art consultant, cataloguer and lecturer.