Location: University of Bristol, 35 Berkeley Square, Helen Woodhouse Building, Bristol, BS8 1JA

A roundtable about creative projects which are starting conversations about the menopause, followed by a mini banner making workshop.

Join Vanessa Beck (School of Management), Jessica Hammett (Department of History) and Lisa Nash (socially engaged artist) for an informal talking and making workshop about the menopause.

We will discuss two creative projects that have opened up spaces to have conversations about the menopause – both for people currently experiencing the menopause and those who are not. This will be followed by a creative workshop, making mini fabric banners. Refreshments will be provided.

We will be reflecting on two projects:

The Brigstow funded project on How to talk about Menopause? was a collaboration with the Fife Libraries and Tricky Hat Productions that included a broad range of activities (from comedy via baking to theatre) thematising menopause. The events showed a broad demand for opportunities to talk about menopause as well as considerable openness to the subject matter. This provides an insight into ideas that have been incorporated into the Talking Menopause Toolkit that were an outcome of this project.

The Menopausal Makers project – funded by the Brigstow Institute and ESRC IAA – has brought together a group of ten non-artists who are currently experiencing the menopause, in North Kensington, London. Members of the group reflect the diversity of this community. During monthly meetings we discuss experiences and share resources, while testing out different creative activities, with a cup of tea and a biscuit. As well as creating a safe and welcoming space for this group to discuss their experiences, we will be developing creative resources to support conversations about the menopause in other settings.