The Artist Development Agency (ADA) is a specialist arts career planning and business development provider based in Dunedin. We work across all forms of art, design and cultural work to provide our clients with professional development advice and support appropriate to their needs.
In most cases our support is provided on a one to one basis through coaching and mentoring. Antony Deaker manages our work and calls in a range of experienced professionals with affinity and understanding of artists to support him as required. Antony is Kai Tahu from Kati Huirapa ki Puketiraki and brings relevant iwi networks and understanding to this work.
ADA picked up where The Higher Trust left off in 2006. The Higher Trust had been working with Ministry of Social Development (MSD) and their predecessors since 1998 to develop programmes and infrastructure for arts employment. Antony Deaker was involved in this work from the outset and was employed to manage the work of The Higher Trust from 1999. The research and advocacy work done by The Higher Trust informed the PACE policy that was launched nationally in late 2001.
Michael Deaker has worked in education and media all of his working life and continues to contract to the Ministry of Education for various short-term projects and consultancy. He is the owner and director of ADA 2007 Ltd the company trading as Artist Development Agency. He oversees the work of Antony Deaker and the development of new contracts and proposals.