HELEN
SHE/THEY
A new and exciting Tattoo & Arts Expo made for tattooers, by tattooers.
An event created for the outcasts of tattooing, promoting inclusivity and individuality for the alternative scene, representing the queers, the allies, the neurodivergent and the weirdos, because here, we are the weirdos mister.
Meet our founders of The Coven Tattoo & Arts Expo, local Melbourne/Naarm elder emos and tattooers:
Helen Highwaters
and
Carly VanVidler
SHE/HER
CARLY
ABOUT THE COVEN
OUR VALUES AND VISION
The Coven is a new women-led and run, 2 day Tattoo & Arts Expo celebrating tattoos, individuality through self-expression, and the creative community within the ever evolving Australian tattoo industry.
As female artists who regularly attend nationwide tattoo expos, we’ve experienced a lack of representation and inclusivity at traditional tattoo conventions as both exhibiters and patrons, so this expo aims to provide a welcoming and accessible space that strongly supports the LGBTQIA+ and neurodivergent community with a large emphasis on alternative people, just like us.
In an industry that is heavily male dominated and often met with negative connotations from outdated stigma, The Coven seeks to challenge previous stereotypes and redefine what it means to be both a tattoo artist and a tattooed individual.
The event places a strong emphasis on connection, inclusivity, and fostering genuine community within this industry.
Being in touch with our community and wanting to promote Australian Tattoo Art & Culture means also going right down to the roots of it all. As allies, we feel its imperative to show support, awareness and respect for our First Nations people through charity work and recognition.
Creating an intimate and exclusive environment we've limited space to 82 artists and 16 retailers. Creating ample opportunity to make sure the event exhibits people who share the same values and ethics that our event promotes, as well as ensuring the quality of tattooing taking place at the event is at its finest.
Patrons will also be able to enjoy food trucks, interactive entertainment like craft stations, retail shopping and charity fundraisers ensuring there's something for everyone to experience over the weekend.
We’ve focused the demographic to what we find is our biggest clientele: the goths, witches, little weirdos, LGBTQIA+, disabled and Neurodivergent folks; who have felt traditional tattoo expos were inaccessible and intimidating to attend as they are today.
With this in mind, we decided it was time put together an event where tattooers and tattoo collectors that fall in these categories can have the space to be themselves, create incredible tattoos and leave feeling they have found the community they were meant to be apart