How we work
We are an artist- and disability-led consultancy. Every engagement begins with where you are at. We work remotely, through consultation, or in person. We believe in working at the pace of relationships.
Social Model of Disability
Tir Aho Studio recognises the Social Model of Disability as fundamental to guiding our efforts to support individuals with disability. This model emphasises that disability is not merely a reflection of an individual’s impairment but arises from societal barriers. It is these obstacles — not individuals’ capacities — that limit equitable access to and participation in community life. In acknowledging this, we embrace our social responsibility to help organisations identify and remove these barriers across their programs, spaces and digital environments. Our commitment extends to protecting and promoting the rights of people with disability, while actively fostering a culture of diversity and inclusion within our communities across the Great Ocean and globally.
Intersectionality
People carry layered identities that shift with context. A d/Deaf Aboriginal artist enters a certain place in one way. A white hearing artist with chronic pain enters the same place in another way. Our studio recognises the complex and shifting nature of these intersecting identities and is committed to applying an intersectional approach to better understand and respond to the diverse experiences of all individuals.
Naming power
Systems operate without asking permission. Colonisation doesn't pause for consent. Institutions exclude by design, then demand gratitude for access. Ableism shapes everything from architecture to hiring practices. These aren't accidents or oversights; they're the mechanisms through which power maintains itself. We call this non-consensual domination, using the term coined by J. Kēhaulani Kauanui, because you can't change power dynamics without naming them.
Culture as inclusion
Scott Avery taught that culture is inclusion. For him, belonging isn't the pathway to inclusion — belonging is inclusion. Epeli Hauʻofa refused the colonial gaze that sees scattered dots where Oceanic peoples see connected waters. 'We are the sea, we are the ocean.' He reframed geography itself, from islands in a far sea to a sea of islands. Scale matters. Perspective shapes possibility.
These ideas teach and reach us through whakapapa, through practices, on-going relationality and through the people who taught us to see structure and connection where others see isolation and deficit.
Our practice is caring and honest
We meet people where they are, not where we wish they were. We design with and for communities, never around them or at them. The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.2 AA) are our standard for accessible digital content. Trauma-informed methods inform how we encounter our colleagues and clients. CARE Principles protect Indigenous knowledge when it enters the room. We are committed to working with Indigenous interlocutors appropriate to every project we undertake.