Donation protected
We are setting up this GoFundMe to support the artists of a currently unnamed tattoo collective.
Our collective is made up of the following artists:
Albie (@albiemakestattoos )
Chichi (@bestnailsclub )
Emma (@thorn_pokes )
Lolli (@lollipoptattoos )
MKNZ (@ruffenough )
Roache (@xroache )
Ursula (@ursamajortattoo )
Adj (@adjy_baby ) (shop manager)
Our group is comprised of artists from marginalized identities: queer, black, PoC, fat, femme, neurodivergent, and/or non-binary.
Our group is also comprised of people with privileged identities: white, cisgender, abled, thin, and/or straight.
We are some of the artists formerly associated with Valentines Tattoo in Seattle, WA.
In January, Valentines Tattoo was dissolved as a result of unresolved internal conflict, and a desire to create a worker-owned collective. The group of us have remained united throughout this process in the pursuit of opening a new shop in alignment of our shared values.
(A thorough statement about this process can be found on our instagram account: @currentlyunnamedtattoo)
In February, we signed a lease on a new space and have been excitedly working on the build-out. During the dissolution of Valentines and the search for a new space, we lost work and individually invested our savings into this new collective venture. Setting up our new space included: some interior remodeling, putting in new floors, replacing old appliances, setting up licensing, and insurance policies.
Just as we were rounding the corner on being able to open the shop for business, we were, like so many other small businesses in our community, put on an indefinite hold due to current COVID-19 crisis.
This has been a stressful setback as most of us had already been working very little or not at all for the past two months. We are now daunted with the task of having to pay our home rents and the rent on our new space that we haven't yet been able to work in. As sole proprietors, we are also ineligible for collecting unemployment.
Due to the close person-to-person contact necessary with our jobs, it is unclear when we will be able to work again, even if/when some businesses are re-opening with trepidation.
We recognize that we are extremely fortunate to have visibility and support within our communities. So many folks have reached out asking how they can help us in this time. Thank you for the encouragement to seek out support and to stay grounded in our vision for a new space that we will hopefully be able to open in the future.
To be clear:
Raising these funds does not guarantee that conditions will allow us to keep the shop open. We are trying to be realistic in the face of an unprecedented crisis. We are fundraising to hang onto the lease as long as we can and to support ourselves individually through the next few months.
We are also targeting this fundraiser to folks who are able to work from home, have financial security, or for whatever reason feel in a comfortable place to contribute.
We know that there are many in our community who are in need of financial assistance right now. We also recognize that our visibility as a group gives us the traction to promote this campaign widely.
Any funds generated by this campaign that exceed our needs for our shop rent/bills and immediate basic living needs for each artist will be redistributed to people greatly impacted by COVID-19 in our community.
Please take care of yourselves and each other.
----
Breakdown of goal:
New Shop Rent: $2800/month (factoring two months currently)
Individual Artist Relief: $600/month per member (8 people) (factoring two months currently)
Our collective is made up of the following artists:
Albie (@albiemakestattoos )
Chichi (@bestnailsclub )
Emma (@thorn_pokes )
Lolli (@lollipoptattoos )
MKNZ (@ruffenough )
Roache (@xroache )
Ursula (@ursamajortattoo )
Adj (@adjy_baby ) (shop manager)
Our group is comprised of artists from marginalized identities: queer, black, PoC, fat, femme, neurodivergent, and/or non-binary.
Our group is also comprised of people with privileged identities: white, cisgender, abled, thin, and/or straight.
We are some of the artists formerly associated with Valentines Tattoo in Seattle, WA.
In January, Valentines Tattoo was dissolved as a result of unresolved internal conflict, and a desire to create a worker-owned collective. The group of us have remained united throughout this process in the pursuit of opening a new shop in alignment of our shared values.
(A thorough statement about this process can be found on our instagram account: @currentlyunnamedtattoo)
In February, we signed a lease on a new space and have been excitedly working on the build-out. During the dissolution of Valentines and the search for a new space, we lost work and individually invested our savings into this new collective venture. Setting up our new space included: some interior remodeling, putting in new floors, replacing old appliances, setting up licensing, and insurance policies.
Just as we were rounding the corner on being able to open the shop for business, we were, like so many other small businesses in our community, put on an indefinite hold due to current COVID-19 crisis.
This has been a stressful setback as most of us had already been working very little or not at all for the past two months. We are now daunted with the task of having to pay our home rents and the rent on our new space that we haven't yet been able to work in. As sole proprietors, we are also ineligible for collecting unemployment.
Due to the close person-to-person contact necessary with our jobs, it is unclear when we will be able to work again, even if/when some businesses are re-opening with trepidation.
We recognize that we are extremely fortunate to have visibility and support within our communities. So many folks have reached out asking how they can help us in this time. Thank you for the encouragement to seek out support and to stay grounded in our vision for a new space that we will hopefully be able to open in the future.
To be clear:
Raising these funds does not guarantee that conditions will allow us to keep the shop open. We are trying to be realistic in the face of an unprecedented crisis. We are fundraising to hang onto the lease as long as we can and to support ourselves individually through the next few months.
We are also targeting this fundraiser to folks who are able to work from home, have financial security, or for whatever reason feel in a comfortable place to contribute.
We know that there are many in our community who are in need of financial assistance right now. We also recognize that our visibility as a group gives us the traction to promote this campaign widely.
Any funds generated by this campaign that exceed our needs for our shop rent/bills and immediate basic living needs for each artist will be redistributed to people greatly impacted by COVID-19 in our community.
Please take care of yourselves and each other.
----
Breakdown of goal:
New Shop Rent: $2800/month (factoring two months currently)
Individual Artist Relief: $600/month per member (8 people) (factoring two months currently)
Organizer and beneficiary
Unnamed Tattoo
Organizer
Seattle, WA
Adrienne McColl
Beneficiary