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Winnipeg Free Press

Got ink?

Winnipeg Tattoo aficionados and casual enjoyers are being called back to the RBC Convention Centre Winnipeg once again for the annual Winnipeg Tattoo Show, hosted by J&A Inked Enterprises. Eight years after its foundation, the local convention has done its part to put Winnipeg on the map, with artists hailing from as far as Spain, Portugal and India. This will be the show's sixth edition — due to a two-year hiatus during the pandemic — and it will feature over 300 tattoo artists, as well as entertainment such as circus performers and burlesque shows, local vendors, food and drink, competitions involving tattoos, hair, makeup, and pin-up art, haircuts by sponsor Tommy Gun's Barbershop, live tattooing by a list of Ink Masters including Anthony Michaels, and more. It will take place May 2 to 4. And, because the show is falling on the weekend of May 4 — the unofficial Star Wars day, because of the often-used 'May the Fourth be with you' — the weekend-long event will have a Star Wars theme, featuring fan-made droids, characters, and the opportunity for participants to cosplay to their heart's content. Free Press file photo The Winnipeg Tattoo Show will return for its sixth edition at the RBC Convention Centre from May 2 to 4. 'I had been tattooing, at that time, for probably about 18 years, and just kind of have been to conventions all across Canada,' said Abby Boivin, founder of the show, who runs J&A Inked alongside her husband, Jeff. 'And I thought it'd be really cool if this happened, or this happened, or this happened.' 'For me, being an artist behind the chair, I was like, 'I can do this. I can do the convention. Let's do it,' and then I just decided to go for it. And now we're on eight years, and we have artists saying it's one of the best in the world, just with how they're treated and everything that we do behind the scenes,' she said. Volunteers play a huge part, too, she added, and many of them are past clients. 'It's just a fun weekend,' she said. Although artists hail from all over the world, this year will also have the largest number of Winnipeg-based artists since its conception. 'It's crazy,' Boivin said, of how much the community has grown. 'There's a lot more Winnipeg shops than there has ever been. Like, I remember when I first came to Winnipeg, I think there was six or seven, and now there's about 76, 77?' Tattooing is oftentimes a very personal experience, as it's different to get something put on skin rather than on paper, and it can connect people on a somewhat intimate level, as several folks will choose to have something personal, such as the name of a loved one or a portrait of a late pet, tattooed onto themselves. Winnipeg's strong arts and culture scene has been able to harness the craft in recent years, creating a local community large enough to rival much bigger cities. The show has not only been able to take advantage of this, but it's also become somewhat of a launchpad for artists and gives them an opportunity to learn from others in the craft. Everyone is equal, Boivin said, and given an equal chance. Mondays A weekly look at news and events that matter in your communities. Additionally, tattooing has become much more accessible and accepted. There's much less of a stigma when compared to 10 years ago, Boivin noted: 'It's definitely gotten more welcoming as far as getting a job or just being out in public … 25 years ago (when I started in the industry), I was looked at a lot different than I'm looked at now. But even now, I still notice, because I have my throat tattooed and piercings, I still get the looks, but it's a big part of me.' 'Something I like about putting on the show, too, is that people come and they don't have a tattoo, and they're like, 'oh my gosh, everybody's so nice. Look at this talent,'' she said. Many of the artists taking part in this year's show only take walk-ups, and social media is being updated on a regular basis so that people can browse the art and see if there's something that sticks out to them. General one-day admission is $26.50. Tickets for seniors and youth aged 13 to 17 are $21.50, 12 and under get in free. For more information or to stay updated on the show, visit or @winnipegtattooshow on Instagram. Emma Honeybun Emma Honeybun is a reporter/photographer for the Free Press Community Review. She graduated RRC Polytech's creative communications program, with a specialization in journalism, in 2023. Email her at Read full biography Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.