Hello and Welcome Beautiful Humans!
Queer social has wrapped up for 2021 but we will come back in 2022 with new and popular workshops for everyone!
If you’d like to teach with us in 2022, there is a tab below and if you want more information, email us!
Check this short wrap up video for some of the things we got up to 🙂
We wanted to create a space for LGBTQIA+ people to connect outside of party vibes, make new pals and enjoy in the fun of learning new things….
So Laneway Learning and Unicorns teamed up to invent QUEER SOCIAL – a queer workshop and social space for queers, by queers.
Learning new things has so many benefits, from developing new skills to increasing mental wellbeing. And it’s also just fun!
So come and join us for this cute new workshop series and be surrounded by other lovely queer people – you could also meet your new best friend or soul mate! 😉
We will be learning anything and everything – from how to make home-make eco-glitter bath bombs, to money management hot tips and how to crochet a unicorn!
There will also be fun little games to get you mingling and chill times at the end to hang out in our colourful space.
The workshops are also going to be super cheap thanks to a bunch of legend sponsors like City of Melbourne and Bank Australia – thank you x 100 for being on board to support us queers!
ACCESSIBILITY
- Wheelchair Accessible Venue
- Gender Neutral Bathrooms
- Quiet Spaces
- Low Level Music
- Discounted Tickets
- Free Tickets for First Nation Attendees
- Auslan Interpreted Upon Request
WHO IS BEHIND THIS LITTLE IDEA?
Two humans: Maria – Laneway Learning (she/her) and delsi – Unicorns (she/her).
Laneway Learning and Unicorns, are both community organisations that focus on creating spaces for our community.
We do it out of love and passion for developing safer spaces, with open hearts and all our empathy, commitment and energy.
However, there is only two of us so please be mindful that we might take some time to get back to you.
Artwork by @plasticmessiah
Upcoming Classes
Queer Social: Finding Your Voice – Intro to Singing with Alex
Everyone has a voice! And so many of us enjoy singing to ourselves, in the shower, and along to the car stereo. But somehow we can also be really self-conscious about how we sound and about singing in front of others. So how do we learn more about singing and the voice outside of formal…
- 30th Mar, 2023
- 6:00pm - 8:00pm (AEDT)
- Level 3 Rooms 14, 15/37 Swanston St, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia
SOLD OUT – Queer Social Brunswick: Textured Acrylic Painting with Robert
Get grounded and feel like a child again with this textured painting class! Have you seen those videos on Tiktok with the palettes and blobs of paint? Well, this is your class! Mix Paint with a variety of mediums such as sand, gesso, charcoal, flour, leaves etc to create textured masterpieces. Use a variety of…
- 12th Apr, 2023
- 6:00pm - 8:00pm (AEST)
- 646 Sydney Rd, Brunswick VIC 3056, Australia
Queer Social: Pride Snap Button Pins or Rings with Raize
Would you like to accessorise yourself with a handmade pin or ring that proudly celebrates your gender and/or sexuality? This snap button rings and pins allow you to change the top and have lots of different designs in one. What a cute way to let others know that you are part of the community! …
- 20th Apr, 2023
- 6:00pm - 8:00pm (AEST)
- Level 3 Rooms 14, 15/37 Swanston St (Nicholson Building), Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia
SOLD OUT – Queer Social Brunswick: Fearless Queerness – The Queer Sex Ed They Didn’t Teach You In School with Daz and Rosie
Despite what some schools teach, relationship and sex education is not a "condom on a banana" or "practicing abstinence until marriage". Daz (sexologist) and Rosie (educator) - your Sex Space facilitators - are here to deliver the queer-centred relationship and sex ed your school failed to teach you. We give you the info and tools…
- 26th Apr, 2023
- 6:00pm - 8:00pm (AEST)
- 646 Sydney Rd, Brunswick VIC 3056, Australia
Queer Social: Fearless Queerness – The Queer Sex Ed They Didn’t Teach You In School with Daz and Rosie
Despite what some schools teach, relationship and sex education is not a "condom on a banana" or "practicing abstinence until marriage". Daz (sexologist) and Rosie (educator) - your Sex Space facilitators - are here to deliver the queer-centred relationship and sex ed your school failed to teach you. We give you the info and tools…
- 4th May, 2023
- 6:00pm - 8:00pm (AEST)
- Level 3 Rooms 14, 15/37 Swanston St, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia
Queer Social: Textured Acrylic Painting with Robert
Get grounded and feel like a child again with this textured painting class! Have you seen those videos on Tiktok with the palettes and blobs of paint? Well, this is your class! Mix Paint with a variety of mediums such as sand, gesso, charcoal, flour, leaves etc to create textured masterpieces. Use a variety of…
- 18th May, 2023
- 6:00pm - 8:00pm (AEST)
- Level 3 Rooms 14, 15/37 Swanston St, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia
That workshop was life changing.
Queer Social Attendee (September 2021)
OMG I have missed Unicorns and the community around it. Seeing everyone at Queer Social made me feel like I could get through this pandemic.
Queer Social Attendee (October 2021)
The second the workshop ended, I recommended it to 3 other queer friends. Lockdown has been hell on mental healthy. Counselling and psychiatry offices are booked, their waitlists are closed. This isn't the cure, but let me tell you - I'm having the first good day in months and I owe it all to last nights workshop. Thank you.
Queer Social Attendee (October 2021)
These events are fulfilling an overlooked need for queer disabled folk in Melbourne. I appreciate that the topics are fun and uplifting. We need more of this.
Queer Social Attendee (August 2021)
Just fill this form if you’d like to teach a class at Queer Social!
All teachers are paid and will be invited to a thank you party at the end of the workshop series.
We might receive quite a few applications so we may not be able to get back to all of you. But we will defo keep everyones application on file in case we find a suitable future spot.
We are looking for volunteers to help us host these fabulous classes. Please read the information here and fill the form (selecting Queer Social in class format).
If you are feeling distress or need someone to talk to there is always someone who will listen.
Here are some fantastic organisations and helplines that we recommend contacting:
Past Queer Socials
SOLD OUT – Queer Social Thornbury: Intro to Pottery with Maddy
Queer Social is popping up at the lovely Heart of Thornbury Pride Makers Market! Pride, Coffee, Good Times and now. . . pottery! Come around 10: 30am and explore the hands-on fun of pottery and clay modelling! Maddy will guide you through an introduction to pottery basics, supporting you to make your own piece of pottery…
Queer Social Brunswick: Collage for the Soul with Yianni
Collage isn't new, it been around for thousands of years. But collage can allow us to be kids again. Think outside of the square and construct imaginary worlds, scenarios and even poetry. Discover how collage can help us loosen up, relax and even discover things about ourselves. Lets have fun and have some interesting conversations…
SOLD OUT – Queer Social: Intro to Pottery with Maddy
Come and explore the hands-on fun of pottery and clay modelling! Maddy will guide you through an introduction to pottery basics, supporting you to make your own piece of pottery art from air-dry clay. You might like to make an engraved dish, a little pinch pot, a serpentine candle holder, personalised wall art. . . if you…
Queer Social Brunswick: Sew your own Plush Toy Elephant with Robert
Come and learn how to sew your own adorable elephant plushie! Choose your own colours and create a unique or personalised look. In this workshop you will learn how to work with felt - a lovely tactile and versatile fabric. Sewing is also a wonderful way to slow down, unwind, and have some pleasant focused craft time.…
SOLD OUT – Queer Social: Watercolour Galaxy Painting with River
Do you lay in bed on cold Thursday mornings and think "I would love to have a galaxy of my own. To have, to hold, to stare at with the ones I love on a rainy night"? Well this class will show you how to create that galaxy you so long for and dream of.…
SOLD OUT – Queer Social Brunswick: Kokedama Moss Balls with Maddy
Kokedama is an ancient Japanese botanical art like bonsai or ikebana art. The word ‘Kokedama’ means ‘moss ball’ in Japanese as they are plants living in freestanding balls of moss-covered soil instead of pots. Kokedama are a beautiful way to bring greenery into your home and are ideal for apartments or flats with minimal space.…
Queer Social: Inclusive Life Drawing with Robin
Inclusivity is fun! So is drawing! Come along and join this casual, beginner friendly queer social art class where you can relax, mingle and learn some life drawing skills. By inclusivity, we mean celebrating diverse bodies, but also diverse artists with any range of experience - even if you’ve never done any drawing before, this…
Queer Social: Pride Snap Button Pins or Rings with Raize
Would you like to accessorise yourself with a handmade pin or ring that proudly celebrates your gender and/or sexuality? This snap button rings and pins allow you to change the top and have lots of different designs in one. What a cute way to let others know that you are part of the community! They…
Queer Social: Intro to Linocut with Emilie
More than just a floor covering! Did you know that linocut has been used in printing for over a century and this technique was originally for making wallpaper? Printing with linocut is similar to woodcut printmaking but a bit easier to work with (because it has no grain to consider like wood). In…
SOLD OUT – QUEER SOCIAL – Queer Auslan with Hadley
Come and learn how to have a conversation with D/deaf and hard of hearing queers who use Auslan (Australian Sign Language). We will explore queer specific Auslan signs as well as do's and don'ts when approaching D/deaf and hard of hearing people. This event will be half social chats with a bunch of like minded…
SOLD OUT – Queer Social: Collage for the Soul with Yianni
Collage isn't new, it been around for thousands of years. But collage can allow us to be kids again. Think outside of the square and construct imaginary worlds, scenarios and even poetry. Discover how collage can help us loosen up, relax and even discover things about ourselves. Lets have fun and have some interesting conversations…
SOLD OUT – Queer Social: Inclusive Life Drawing with Robin
Inclusivity is fun! So is drawing! Come along and join this casual, beginner friendly queer social art class where you can relax, mingle and learn some life drawing skills. By inclusivity, we mean celebrating diverse bodies, but also diverse artists with any range of experience - even if you’ve never done any drawing before, this…
Queer social is supported, as part of the Social Partnership program, by The City of Melbourne council.
We also received a customer impact grant from Bank Australia.
