Hello and Welcome Beautiful Humans!
Queer social is back! Fun, social workshops for our queer community, sponsored by City of Melbourne.
This year we are also expanding to Brunswick and St Kilda!
This year we hope to have them mostly in person so you can socialise, meet other queer peeps and go home with a new skill or knowledge.
If you want to know what we got up to last year, check out this page or the short video.
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 a 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 cute terrariums, to money management hot tips and how to make a unicorn cupcake!
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 super cheap thanks to a bunch of legend sponsors like City of Melbourne – 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 MANAGES QUEER SOCIAL?
Maria (She/Her), general manager of Laneway Learning, will be running behind the scenes, preparing the scheduling and answering any questions you might have.
Raize (They/He) is our new Queer Social host and will be in charge of the social aspect as well as welcoming you into the space. Raize’s interests are reading fantasy/science fiction, crafting & arts, food & cocktails. Their favourite colour is purple.
Queer Socials Coming Up
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…
- 22nd Mar, 2023
- 6:00pm - 8:00pm (AEDT)
- 646 Sydney Rd, Brunswick VIC 3056, Australia
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…
- 25th Mar, 2023
- 10:30am - 12:00pm (AEDT)
- 99 Leinster Grove, Thornbury VIC 3071, Australia
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
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:
We are on Insta! @queersocial.melb
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.
Past Classes
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: Customising Shoes with delsi
Turn your basic white shoes into a piece of art! Come and spend an evening with delsi learning how to customise your own shoes. We will use high quality Angelus shoe paint to create the shoes of your dreams. There will be heaps of colours to play with - including ones with pretty pink sparkles in them.…
Queer Social: Sew a Fluffy Reversible Octopus Plushie with Robert
Learn hand sewing basics while creating a reversible fluffy octopus plush! Together we'll learn how to work with felt, and make a reversible plushie with two faces. Will yours be happy/sad? curious/meditative or angry/surprised? Come and join us for a queer good time! This event will be half social fun times with a bunch of like…
Queer Social: Intro to Deeper Intimacy and Connection via Shibari with Harley
Join us for a guided journey into the exciting world of rope bondage. Designed for curious, caring creatures, this class will explore the art forms potential for profound intimacy, connection and trust building. We will learn the important foundations of safety and rope-craft before learning some basic yet effective techniques for empowering your inner rope-top. The lesson structure is…
QUEER SOCIAL – Sensory Galaxy Slime with River
Did you know your fingers are connected to your brain? Do you want to slither those brain fingies inside galaxy slime until your brain hearts are content? Well you are in the right building, unless you are here for the nipple waxing class, that's down the way there. In this class we'll create a sensory object…
SOLD OUT – QUEER SOCIAL: Cute Closed Terrariums with delsi
Moss terrariums are super fun to make and easy to care for. If you kill even the most un-killable of cacti but still yearn for some greenery at your office or home, then working with moss might be your best bet. A Moss Terrarium is hassle-free and if you do it right you never…
QUEER SOCIAL: Sugar Unicorn cupcakes with Maria
Do you fancy taking your cake decorating to the next level? Join Maria to learn how to use fondant (or sugar paste) to create decorations for your baked goods. We will learn a little about fondant and how to create a cute unicorn cake topper piece by piece! What will we cover? Fondant – what…
QUEER SOCIAL: Car Troubles – Common Problems and Easy Fixes with Richo
Ever wondered how to jump start a car or change a tyre? Fuse blown but don't know where to look? Got somewhere to go but need a tow? Learn the skills you need to get moving again! What will we cover? In this class we cover: - How to check and change…
QUEER SOCIAL – Money Management: What We Wished We Learnt At School with Scott
Get ready to learn all about the money stuff you wished they taught you at school! Do you sometimes find Tax, Superannuation and managing your cash super confusing? I do! Well, Financial Planner Scott, is going to break it all down for us. He is going to fill us in on money management strategies -…
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…
QUEER SOCIAL: The Joy of Sleep with Thomas
Do you suffer from lack of sleep? Does your mind race at night, leaving you exhausted during the day? Have sleeping problems affected your work, social life or relationships? Come and learn some techniques to get better sleep from recovering insomniac and Doctor of Philosophy, Tom. This event will be half social…
SOLD OUT – QUEER SOCIAL – Polymer Pride Earrings with delsi
Please note: You will need to be double vaccinated to attend this class. You will need to check in via the Victorian Service app which can be linked to your vaccination certificate. Find out more here. Would you like to adorn yourself with a pair of handmade earrings that flag your gender and/or sexuality? Do…
QUEER SOCIAL: Tension – The Art of Shibari with Harley
Join us for a guided journey into the exciting world of rope bondage. Designed for curious, caring creatures, this class will explore the artform’s potential for profound intimacy, connection and trust building. We will learn the important foundations of safety and rope-craft before learning some basic yet effective techniques for empowering your inner rope-top. The lesson structure is designed…
SOLD OUT – QUEER SOCIAL: Intro to Acrylic Pour Painting with Emilie
Who hasn't seen a video of paint pouring? It's soothing, it's colourful and it's definitely fun! Join us and learn how to make your own pour art which is a little more involved than you may have thought but the results are pretty spectacular. Then, we'll get started designing our own and we'll all go…
QUEER SOCIAL – Sparkly Bath Bombs with delsi
Feeling a little run down? Like some more self care in your life? Would you like to relax into a sparkly pink bath filled with a glitter bath bomb you made yourself? Well come and learn how to make your own eco-glitter bath bombs in this fun, hands on workshop with delsi! Unicorns party mum,…
SOLD OUT – QUEER SOCIAL – Polymer Pride Earrings with delsi
Please note: You will need to be double vaccinated to attend this class. You will need to check in via the Victorian Service app which can be linked to your vaccination certificate. Find out more here. Would you like to adorn yourself with a pair of handmade earrings that flag your gender and/or sexuality? Do…
SOLD OUT – QUEER SOCIAL – Polymer Pride Earrings with delsi
Please note: You will need to be double vaccinated to attend this class. You will need to check in via the Victorian Service app which can be linked to your vaccination certificate. Find out more here. Would you like to adorn yourself with a pair of handmade earrings that flag your gender and/or sexuality? Do…
SOLD OUT – QUEER SOCIAL – Queer Auslan with Hadley (Online)
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…
QUEER SOCIAL – Creative Writing: Letters to your Ex with Nevo (Online)
Have you ever just wanted to get out all of the bundled up anger you have toward your ex? Want to have a rant about an old flame but have already exhausted all your friend’s emotional capacity? Welcome to ‘letters to your ex’, we’re going to be writing (AND NOT SENDING) some letters…
QUEER SOCIAL – Intro to Dance: Find your Groove with Sham (Online)
If you’ve felt like you were born with two left feet, or simply want to learn some basics and fundamentals of dance, here’s your chance! This class is for people who don’t quite feel comfortable diving into drop in dance classes, and to learn basic yet essential techniques. This is for all of…
SOLD OUT – QUEER SOCIAL – Money Management: What We Wished We Learnt At School with Scott (Online)
Get ready to learn all about the money stuff you wished they taught you at school! Do you sometimes find Tax, Superannuation and managing your cash super confusing? I do! Well, Financial Planner Scott, is going to break it all down for us. He is going to fill us in on money management strategies -…
SOLD OUT – QUEER SOCIAL – Building Healthy Relationships with Eddy (Online)
We all have an innate desire to be loved, whatever kind of relationship form that takes. But how do you know if the relationships you have are serving you well? Come along to the workshop held by queer Psychologist Eddy to see how you can both improve relationships and identify healthy versus unhealthy one. This event will…
SOLD OUT – QUEER SOCIAL – Watercolour for Beginners: Painting Nature with Emilie (Online)
Not only is watercolour painting a super pretty art form - it's also really meditive and brings out all those nice, calm feels. This beginners watercolour class is perfect for both people that have never picked up a brush and those who make art on the regular. Artist and educator, Emilie, will take you through…
QUEER SOCIAL – Queer Sex Ed: All About Sex Toys with Finula (Online)
Are you interested in incorporating some sex toys into your life but don't know where to start? Or maybe you've got a wonderful collection of dildos but you want to know if there is something else on the market you might fancy? Maybe you're just really keen to hang out in a room filled with other…
SOLD OUT – QUEER SOCIAL – Happiness Hacks with delsi (Online)
Life feeling a little challenging right now? Want to find out what the researchers know about happiness? Research shows us that are a bunch of things we can implement within our lives that can boost our happy feels. And if we implement these things regularly it can become a little easier to tackle all that lives…