It isn’t just about ink — it’s about the stories behind it. You’ll find that same spirit in objects too. Step into the world of Klinkhamer Antiques and Hontō – Authentic Japanese Antiques: two unique pop-up shops filled with character, history, and beauty. From curiosities to Japanese craftsmanship, from mysterious to minimalist.

For the tattoo convention in the Forum, Henk Schiffmacher brings the best tattoo artists in the world to Groningen – and most of them bring their needles! Want to see them live at work? Come by! 

Want to get a tattoo? Make an appointment with your favorite artist in advance via Instagram.

Yushi Takei / Horikichi, Herpianto Hendra, Ichibay (Hidenori ichihara), Megu Kamata, Taku Oshima, Orient Ching, Bunsin Horitoshi, Ichi Hatano, Xiaodong Zhou

For the tattoo convention in the Forum, Henk Schiffmacher brings the best tattoo artists in the world to Groningen – and most of them bring their needles! Want to see them live at work? Come by! 

Want to get a tattoo? Make an appointment with your favorite artist in advance via Instagram. 

Colin Dale, Ayla Roda, Rafel Delalande, Phill Bond, Will Cattersel, Henning Jorgensen, Johan Svahn, Tycho  Veldhoen, Jacobus  De Quay, Olof Arrevik, Vincent Veldhoen, Tizi Tattoos, Rupa van Teylingen, Em Scott

For the tattoo convention in the Forum, Henk Schiffmacher brings the best tattoo artists in the world to Groningen – and most of them bring their needles! Want to see them live at work? Come by! 

Want to get a tattoo? Make an appointment with your favorite artist in advance via Instagram. 

Eric Perfect, Frederik Moens, Rich Hard, Nick Colell, Andreas Coenen, Derrick Snodgrass, Eddy Deutsch, Valerie Vargas, Alex Trufant, Pancho, Juan Puente, Paul Dobleman, Shane Enholm , Corey Miller, Daniele Hoang, Dan Sin, Dokter Lakra (Jeronimo Lopez Ramires), Chuey Quintanar, Freddy Corbin, Britton McFetridge, Luke Atkinson, Fillip Leu, Mick Zurich, Chris Garver, Scott Sylvia, Davide Andreoli

During the convention, you can also visit the TATTOO exhibition at Forum. Through art, photos, and artifacts, you'll discover how tattoos have been used and experienced around the world and throughout history. Highlights include lifelike silicone models tattooed by legends such as Filip Leu, Leo Zulueta, and Horiyoshi III. Especially for the Groningen edition, Henk Schiffmacher adds a new model and takes you along on his global tattoo journey.

You can visit the exhibition with your convention ticket – don’t miss it!

Felix, dare to dream is the impressive story of an existential journey. Felix Leu was a pioneer of modern tattoo art and a key figure in one of the most eccentric and respected families in the international tattoo scene: the Leu Family. A bohemian clan that turned freedom and creativity into an art of living.

This film is not just about tattooing—the story of Felix and Loretta is an ode to staying true to your dreams while finding your way in life.

Year
2023

Directed by
Morgan Bertacca and Valerio Bariletti

Duration
105 minutes

During this interview by Erik Dijkstra Henk Schiffmacher takes us through the programme and shares why he personally invited the tattoo artists at the convention to come to Groningen!

TUIG stands for Temporary Outbursts, Ink, and Good Times.
We’re a pop-up tattoo shop, which means both our tattoos and our shop are temporary. These are fake tattoos — not stickers, but hand-drawn artworks — created by real tattoo artists, illustrators, and creatives. First-class ink from our favorite makers.

Daan Soer and Milena Bleeksma — also known as DJ Voodoo Petrol — have been collecting records from all over the world for over 25 years. Their beloved vinyl spans countless styles, labels, and moods. They’ve played festivals across Europe and beyond, always in different shapes and settings.

Once known as Swoolish, they now usually perform from behind the decks of their own mobile nightclub: The Voodoo Petrol Club. From there, they bombard the crowd with Surf, Blues Rock, heavy Rhythm & Blues, exotic psychedelic Cumbia, Voodoo Music, Screamin' African, Banjo Rock, finger-pickin’ guitars, and obscure dancefloor gems.

Don’t expect hits — expect a truly unique DJ set.
Feet off the floor guaranteed!

In this short documentary, Henk Schiffmacher takes us on a journey around the world. He visits Borneo, New Zealand, Hawaii, Samoa, and Japan, among other places. Along the way, he encounters various forms of tattooing.

In one culture, tattoos are used for protection, while in another they are essential for a good afterlife. Tattoos are also used as a defense against sharks or diseases, for example. In each culture, Schiffmacher undergoes a traditional tattoo himself—no matter how painful, such as the Buddhist tattoo near his throat.

This gives us a unique insight into the ancient art of tattooing.

Year
2005

Featuring
Henk Schiffmacher

Directed by
Harrie Ronhaar and Gilles Frenken

Duration
55 minutes

Texas Schiffmacher sits down with Loretta Leu and Titine Leu
Texas talks to them about the legacy of Felix — Loretta’s husband and Titine’s father-in-law. Among other topics, they’ll discuss the documentary Felix, Dare to Dream, which will be screened at various times throughout the convention.

About Loretta Leu and Titine Leu
The Leu family is world-renowned in the tattoo scene. Loretta (born in 1945) met Felix Leu in 1967 in New York. Together with their four children — Ama, Aia, Filip, and Ajja — they travelled the world, supporting themselves through tattooing. In 1981, they settled in Switzerland and founded The Leu Family’s Family Iron Tattoo Studio.

Titine Leu was born in Switzerland and is a self-taught artist. Alongside her husband Filip Leu and his family, she travelled extensively across the globe. Today, she lives in the Swiss mountains with Filip and his mother Loretta.

Daan Soer and Milena Bleeksma — also known as DJ Voodoo Petrol — have been collecting records from all over the world for over 25 years. Their beloved vinyl spans countless styles, labels, and moods. They’ve played festivals across Europe and beyond, always in different shapes and settings.

Once known as Swoolish, they now usually perform from behind the decks of their own mobile nightclub: The Voodoo Petrol Club. From there, they bombard the crowd with Surf, Blues Rock, heavy Rhythm & Blues, exotic psychedelic Cumbia, Voodoo Music, Screamin' African, Banjo Rock, finger-pickin’ guitars, and obscure dancefloor gems.

Don’t expect hits — expect a truly unique DJ set.
Feet off the floor guaranteed!

Tattoo historian Terry Manton presents a lecture on The Knights of the Needle, exploring the lives and work of more than twenty groundbreaking British tattoo artists.

Terry Manton is a retired tattooist from Glasgow who has made it his mission to uncover and share the rich history of British and Scottish tattooing. His work highlights the most important and influential figures in that history, culminating in the book The Pioneers of British Tattooing.

How did tattooing evolve from something that was put on you to a form of expression that comes from within? Three tattoo artists from East LA brought tattooing from the back streets to the art galleries – and changed the art form forever.

That transformation is at the heart of the groundbreaking documentary Tattoo Nation.

Year
2012

Featuring
Don Ed Hardy, Freddy Negrete, and Travis Barker

Directed by
Eric Schwartz

Running time
86 minutes

Texas Schiffmacher in conversation with Ayla Roda and Taku Oshima
Ayla will share insights into the tattoo traditions of the Philippines, while Taku discusses his Jomon Tribe tattoo project.

About Ayla Roda
Ayla Roda is a traditional Filipino tattoo practitioner based in Maryland, USA. She specialises in hand-tapped tattoo techniques — known as tatak — as well as handpoke and machine tattoos. Since beginning her career in 2017, Ayla has had the privilege of working with a wide range of traditional artists, tattooers, and studios across the U.S. and internationally. Over the years, she has built a large and active following on social media. In 2024, Ayla was featured in Tattoo You: A New Generation of Artists, published by the prestigious global arts publisher Phaidon Press. That same year, she was honoured to serve as a juror at the Kapatik World Tattoo Expo at the IEC Convention Center in Cebu, Philippines.

About Taku Oshima
Taku Oshima is a tattoo artist specialising in blackwork, with a deep appreciation for tribal designs from around the world. He is currently based in Tokyo, Japan, where he practices Jomon tattooing — a style inspired by clay figurines and pottery dating back 3,000 to 16,000 years.