An open and welcoming celebration of menstrual health, community and powerful poetry
HOME Arches Manchester’s creative scene, providing a space for artists, communities and events in the railway arches beneath HOME. And That’s On Period! felt well suited to the venue, bringing people together for a free evening of poetry and discussion focused on menstrual health, period poverty and breaking some of the stigma that still surrounds periods.
Taking place in Arch 1, the evening had a relaxed atmosphere from the beginning. The smaller space worked particularly well for this type of event. It felt intimate without being uncomfortable and created an environment where people could speak openly about subjects that are not always easy to discuss publicly. There was a real sense of community in the room.
The programme brought together open mic poetry, a panel discussion and a headline performance from Janoma. Three speakers made up the panel, with representatives from The Crimson Wave, Cysters and a PMDD charity bringing different experiences and areas of expertise to the conversation. Having three perspectives worked well and showed just how broad menstrual health is. The discussion covered period poverty, menstrual conditions and some of the inequalities people can face when trying to access the right information and support.
Despite dealing with serious subjects, the discussion remained accessible throughout. It never felt like sitting through a lecture. The speakers were open about their experiences and there was space for the audience to contribute too. Hearing people speak so frankly helped remove some of the awkwardness that can still surround conversations about periods.
Partway through the evening came the headline performance from Janoma, which proved to be one of its strongest moments. Her poetry was powerful and brought a different energy to the room. She performed with confidence and personality, but it was the honesty within her work that stood out most. Hearing menstrual health and personal experiences explored through poetry offered something quite different from the discussions elsewhere in the programme.
Janoma’s performance also showed why poetry worked so well as part of the event. Facts and discussion are important, but creative work can communicate experiences in a completely different way. Her performance gave an emotional perspective to the wider themes being explored and was a real highlight of the night.
That openness was one of the biggest strengths of And That’s On Period!. Menstrual health affects so many people, yet there can still be embarrassment around discussing what is normal, when to seek help and the realities of living with menstrual conditions. The event created a space where those conversations could happen without judgement, while still feeling relaxed and sociable.
The open mic poetry complemented the discussions well and gave other voices the opportunity to approach the subject creatively or discuss other topics. It would have been nice to hear even more poetry across the evening. The poems added variety and a more personal perspective to the topics being discussed. With Janoma’s headline performance being such a strong part of the programme, a few more contributions from the open mic would have been welcome.
There is a lot of value in events like this. Periods are a normal part of life for so many people, yet period poverty, misinformation and difficulties accessing support for menstrual conditions remain very real issues. What worked here was the way those topics were approached without making the evening feel overly clinical or formal.
HOME Arches also proved to be a great setting for it. The event did not need a huge production to make an impact. Its strength came from the people in the room, the conversations being encouraged and the willingness to speak openly about something that is still too often treated as embarrassing.
And That’s On Period! was an informative and welcoming community event that successfully brought conversation and creativity together. The panel provided plenty of insight, while Janoma’s powerful headline performance was the standout of the evening.
And That’s On Period! was a one night event at HOME Arches, Manchester on 11 August 2026, with no further performances scheduled.