Queer Unschool South Asia (QUSA) is a month-long experiment in hospitality, solidarity, alternative pedagogy and queer kinship and alliance building across some of the most militarised borders of this world. We envision the capacities of queer thinking and gathering as means of overcoming the unique socio-political challenges of our region by offering an infrastructure to be able to imagine as if we already live in liberated, borderless and unapologetically queer equitable futures.

QUSA is sited at KaaloEkSeyEk in Patan and organised by Aziz Sohail with the team. We create an off-center in terms of physical and discursive geographies. In an increasingly bleak landscape, we offer possibilities of being together in difference, otherwise dreaming, and worldmaking.

In the spirit of radical pedagogy, we select regional artists, activists and thinkers from marginalised spaces who dearly need support through an open call. They dictate the pedagogical and learning structure collectively. By facilitating peer-to peer curriculum-building of localised knowledge, passions, and experience, the school also questions existing models of pedagogic hierarchy. Workshops are facilitated by feminist, queer and activist practitioners from South Asia and its diaspora including many Nepal-based arts works, thinkers and writers. Topics include organising and community making, radio & publishing as alternative media, and ethical research and practice.

The first QUSA was successfully organised from November 16-December 14, 2024. We envision this program to take place every 2 years and build long-term regional networks. 

We are now inviting applications for the 2nd cycle scheduled from January 24-February 22 2026. All participants are supported with flights, accommodation and per diem. This time our geographical focus expands to invite applications from those living in Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan and Maldives. Applications are now live. 

Funding

Queer Unschool South Asia 2024 was given institutional and foundational support by Gwaertler Stiftung, ifa and Curatorial Practice at Monash University. We also received very generous private support from Sarita Bhatt & Elizabeth Scharpf, Bani Abidi, Salman Toor, Supriya Bhardwara, Chitra Ganesh, Sophia Balagamwala, Sa’dia Rehman and Lucas Morin. 

Queer Unschool South Asia 2026 is being given institutional and foundational support by Foundation for Arts Initiatives, ifa and Curatorial Practice at Monash University. The difference is being covered by generous private support.