7th annual Winnipeg Tattoo Show draws artists from all over
Posted May 3, 2026 5:04 pm.
Last Updated May 3, 2026 8:09 pm.
The annual Winnipeg Tattoo Show returned to the city for the seventh time this weekend featuring over 300 artists from across Canada and 11 different countries.
Jeff Boivin, event organizer, says the three-day event draws some of the best artists from around the world.
“We’ve got artists from Korea, Japan, Barcelona, Spain, Argentina, La Paz, Bolivia,” Boivin said. “When they come they’re hearing about it in their country from other tattoo artists who have been here.”
Gunnar Quispe, originally from La Paz, Bolivia, loves Winnipeg tattoo scene so much that he moved to the city.
“I feel really really comfortable here,” Quispe said. “I think it’s really true – that Manitoba friendly ya know, it’s amazing.”
His newest client Natasha Pasetto travelled from London, Ontario. She came to Winnipeg to visit friends but is leaving with some new ink.
“It’s art which is beautiful. It’s a form of therapy kind of too. Like you kind of drift off into a place that’s like therapeutic almost which is amazing,” Pasetto said.
“You just feel at home here. You just feel like everybody belongs. And I think that’s really important and beautiful,” Pasetto added.
Justine Proulx, artist at Black Thistle Tattoo, says the event brings tattoo community from all walks of life together.
“It’s not just the typical tattoo crowd. We have kids here. We have a kids’ corner. We have lots of older people getting tattooed. We have people from all over the place,” Proulx said.
Apart from the tattoo stations, attendees enjoyed other games like axe throwing while waiting for their turn to get inked.
“We’re a great adult daycare. It gives people something to do,” said Michael Block, co-owner of Haulin Axe.
“They can come throw axes for a bit. Maybe they’re nervous about getting tattoos. They just come throw axes, feel better, then go do something permanent.”
