Exhibition – The Bristol Tattoo Club

We are very proud to welcome the legendary Bristol Tattoo Club to The Tattoo Collective. Founded by ‘Champion Tattoo Artist of All Great Britain’ Les Skuse in 1953, the Bristol Tattoo Club forms a vital part of British tattoo history and the actions of its members have paved the way for tattoo artists today.

The club was formed by Les to heighten the awareness of the good in tattooing and to steer the industry away from the misconception that only the rough, tough and rebellious could wear tattoos.

The Bristol Tattoo Club also served to set the bar high for top quality tattooing, with a goal to further the standards of the industry, encouraging tattooers to meet, mingle and share advice with one another.

Les envisioned gatherings within the tattoo community for tattoo artists and wearers alike to convene and share their artwork, stories and tips. This led to Les producing the first ever tattoo convention in The White Horse public house, Bristol; and the rest is history.

Les was fortunate to meet photographer Harrold Smart along the way after he called into his tattoo studio, and the resulting friendship has provided a truly remarkable record of British tattoo history.

The Bristol Tattoo Club will be bringing along a selection of historical tattoo artefacts and merchandise to The Tattoo Collective, and you can even sign up to the club to become a fully fledged member.

Don’t miss the Bristol Tattoo Club at The Tattoo Collective, February 17-19th at The Old Truman Brewery. Advance Tickets are now on sale; get yours online today.