Our team

ADA are passionate advocates for art and culture in everyday life.

Our professional culture and public art consultants have extensive experience and networks with council planning departments and arts units, property developers, architects, interior designers and artists.

Through our in-depth understanding of place making and community building we have curated a unique and significant sense of place for many local communities, and facilitated many of the head turning major public art works that adorn Melbourne’s newest buildings.

You can see them in developments such as: East Brunswick Village; Opera by Golden Age; EBV by Banco; Eden, Haven, Sanctuary and Fifty Albert by Hamton; M Docklands by capital Alliance; and Elwood House by Piccolo Developments Yorkshire Brewery by SMA Projects.

Andy Dinan

Andy  Dinan exhibits and promotes the careers of emerging and mid-career contemporary Australian artists.

She founded and established MARS Gallery, a cutting-edge commercial gallery, in 2004. MARS regularly stages exhibitions of the now  – more than 250 featuring over 330 artists to date.

As MARS’ Director, Andy often attends international art fairs, curates special events and consults on major public art commissions. Andy moves from art fairs such as Sydney Contemporary to Amsterdam’s Unseen with ease and total command for the discipline of showing and selling art to help promote all Australian artists .

Andy established ADA Consulting in 2010 after identifying a niche for public art and placemaking in the market. She has established strong connections with Melbourne councils and takes care to fulfil all stakeholders’ needs with every completed project. Andy has been responsible for finding the art for many of Victoria’s Level Crossing Removal Project  for over 15 major artworks tenders have been led by her  to date.

Andy is committed to increasing culture in this country has sat on the boards of Malthouse , Arts Centre Melbourne , Salvation Army appeals and  worked on so many fundraisers since helping create the inaugural National Gallery of Victoria youth club , Artbeat but  still some 40 years later has a   joy , commitment and love for  the arts that is totally unstoppable and will always live on .

Christina Vakkas

Christina Vakkas joined ADA and MARS as a Gallery and Public Art Assistant. Through thorough and active research, Christina provides valuable insight into ADA’s arts projects. By engaging with the client to gain a robust understanding of the commissioning project, Christina assists ADA in facilitating a smooth commission process.

Since joining ADA, Christina has assisted in developing and executing the art strategies for a series of Level Crossing Removal Projects and large-scale developments. Christina has assisted in developing integrated art strategies as required by council guidelines, preparing artist briefs, outlining procurement and implementation plans, facilitating the evaluation and selection process for the tendering artists and ensuring a smooth installation of public artworks alongside Andy.