The terms for booths, stands and tickets. The Aberdeen Tattoo Summit, 30–31 October 2027, P&J Live, Aberdeen - Scotland.
OFFICIAL CONVENTION RULES, EXHIBITOR TERMS & SANITARY REGULATIONS Venue: P&J Live (TECA), Aberdeen, Scotland | Governed by Scots Law
Event Location & Venue: P&J Live (The Event Complex Aberdeen - TECA), Aberdeen, AB21 9SB, Scotland
Legal Jurisdiction: Scots Law & Exclusive Jurisdiction of the Scottish Courts (Aberdeen Sheriff Court)
Age Limit & Verification: STRICT 18+ LIMIT (Tattooing of Minors Act 1969 & Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982). NO EXCEPTIONS / NO PARENTAL CONSENT.
Sanitary Authority: Aberdeen City Council Environmental Health & NHS Grampian Public Health Guidelines
1.1 Scope & Binding Agreement: The Aberdeen Tattoo Convention ('the Convention') is a premier international body art exhibition, trade fair, and cultural gathering held at P&J Live (The Event Complex Aberdeen - TECA), Eastfield of Croftfold, Bucksburn, Aberdeen AB21 9SB, Scotland.
1.2 Universal Compliance: These Official Rules and Regulations ('Regulations') apply universally to all registered exhibitors, tattoo artists, trade vendors, venue contractors, sponsors, press media, and visiting members of the public. Purchasing an admission ticket, accepting an invitation, or signing a booth lease contract constitutes full, unconditional acceptance of these Regulations.
1.3 Governing Law & Scots Law Jurisdiction: This agreement and any non-contractual obligations or disputes arising out of or in connection with the Convention shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, Scots Law. All parties irrevocably agree that the Scottish Courts—specifically Aberdeen Sheriff Court and the Court of Session in Edinburgh—shall have exclusive jurisdiction to settle any legal dispute or claim.
1.4 Organizer Authority: The Organizer reserves the right to modify daily opening hours, hall access times, stage programming, or booth layout configurations due to operational, safety, or logistical requirements without incurring liability for financial compensation to exhibitors or ticket holders.
1.5 Force Majeure & Limitation of Liability: In the event of event suspension, postponement, or cancellation resulting from force majeure, severe weather, public health emergencies, statutory order, or venue disruption, the Organizer's financial liability to ticket purchasers is strictly limited to the nominal face value of the ticket.
2.1 Wristband Protocol: All admission tickets (purchased in advance or at the box office) must be exchanged at the entrance for an official, tamper-evident wristband. Wristbands must be worn securely on the wrist at all times. Damaged, cut, transferred, or re-attached wristbands are void, and holders will be removed from the premises without refund.
2.2 Minor Admission Policy: Children under 14 years of age are admitted free of charge but must remain under the continuous supervision of a parent or legal guardian. Under 18s are issued distinctive red wristbands to ensure immediate identification by security and tattooing staff.
2.3 Prohibited Items & Activities: The following items and activities are strictly prohibited within P&J Live: animals (with the exception of registered assistance dogs); external alcohol; glass containers; illegal substances; offensive weapons; replica blades or sharp cosplay props; unauthorised commercial trading, sampling, or flyering; indoor smoking or vaping; and sleeping within the exhibition halls.
2.4 Security Enforcement: Appointed venue security personnel and event stewards reserve the right to inspect personal bags, verify identity, refuse entry, or eject any individual behaving aggressively, exhibiting signs of intoxication, or violating venue policies. Ejected individuals forfeit all rights to ticket refunds.
2.5 Health & Environmental Warnings: Attendees acknowledge that the Convention hall features elevated sound levels and dynamic stroboscopic/effect lighting. Pregnant women, infants, and individuals with sensory sensitivities or epilepsy attend at their own discretion.
3.1 Strict Prohibition on Tattooing Minors (Absolute 18+ Limit): Under the Tattooing of Minors Act 1969 and the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982, it is a criminal offence in Scotland to tattoo any person under the age of 18 years. UNDER SCOTS LAW, THERE IS NO PARENTAL CONSENT EXCEPTION. Parental approval DOES NOT make it legal to tattoo a minor in Scotland. Tattooing a minor will result in immediate ejection, permanent blacklisting, and instant referral to Police Scotland.
3.2 Mandatory ID Verification: Every tattoo artist must operate a mandatory 'Challenge 25' policy. Prior to commencing any procedure, artists MUST inspect valid government-issued photographic identification (Passport, UK Photocard Driving Licence, or PASS-accredited card).
3.3 Environmental Health & Licensing: All working tattoo artists must hold valid statutory registration and hygiene credentials under Aberdeen City Council Environmental Health Bylaws and the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 (Licensing of Skin Piercing and Tattooing) Order 2006. Two physical copies of hygiene certificates and studio licenses must be provided prior to hall setup.
3.4 Immigration & Work Authorization: International artists travelling from outside the UK (including EU/EEA nationals) are personally responsible for ensuring full compliance with UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) regulations and holding appropriate work authorization for commercial participation.
3.5 Public Liability Insurance: Every participating studio and independent artist must maintain valid Public and Products Liability Insurance with a minimum indemnity limit of £5,000,000 covering attendance at UK exhibition venues. Certificates must be available for inspection upon request.
3.6 Portable Appliance Testing (PAT Certification): In accordance with the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989, all portable electrical equipment (power supplies, lamps, wireless chargers, printers) connected to venue mains power must bear a current Portable Appliance Testing (PAT) certificate.
4.1 Treatment Area & Furniture Requirements: Tattooing on standard venue tables or unapproved surfaces is strictly prohibited. Each working artist must supply or hire a professional, fully adjustable, non-porous, and washable treatment couch, bed, or armrest.
4.2 Disposable & Single-Use Equipment Only: All tattoo procedures must utilize 100% single-use, pre-sterilised disposable needle cartridges or needle bars supplied in intact manufacturer blister packaging displaying valid sterilization batch numbers and expiry dates. Reusable equipment requiring autoclaving is forbidden; no on-site sterilisation facilities exist.
4.3 Barrier Protection & Personal Protective Equipment: All machine bodies, power cords, clip cords, spray bottles, and work surfaces must be fully enclosed in single-use plastic barrier sleeves prior to each client session. Artists must wear disposable nitrile gloves and face masks, changing gloves frequently and after any non-sterile contact.
4.4 Pigments, Inks, and REACH Compliance: All tattoo pigments and inks must fully comply with UK REACH Regulations and be accompanied by Safety Data Sheets (SDS) certifying non-toxicity and heavy metal limits. Diluting inks with tap water is strictly illegal; only sterile demineralised water or certified shading solutions may be used.
4.5 Three-Tier Waste Segregation Protocol: Artists must rigorously segregate waste into three designated, color-coded containers provided at each booth: Yellow Rigid Sharps Container (Sharps Waste): Exclusively for used needles, cartridges, razor blades, and scalpels. Must be sealed securely when 3/4 full. Yellow Clinical Biohazard Waste Bags: For blood-soaked paper towels, contaminated gloves, stencils, and clinical dressings. Must NOT contain sharps or general trash. Black General Waste Bags: For clean cardboard, non-contaminated plastic wrap, clean paper, and general food packaging.
4.6 Environmental Health Penalties: Mixing clinical waste with general refuse constitutes a major statutory breach under the Environmental Protection Act 1990. Environmental Health Officers conduct random booth audits; municipal fines resulting from artist negligence will be passed directly to the responsible exhibitor.
5.1 Mandatory Informed Consent Form: Prior to initiating any tattoo, the artist must ensure the client reads, understands, and signs a written Informed Consent Form detailing medical history, allergies, and procedure risks. Completed consent forms must be retained by the artist for a minimum of two years.
5.2 Written Aftercare Instructions: Upon completing the procedure, the artist must clean and protect the fresh tattoo with a sterile barrier film and provide the client with comprehensive, written aftercare instructions.
5.3 Minimum Pricing & Tax Compliance: In accordance with UK tax legislation (HMRC), artists performing paid procedures must issue valid tax receipts/invoices. The Convention enforces a mandatory minimum charge of £50 per procedure to prevent predatory pricing and uphold professional standards.
6.1 Medical & Artistic Disclaimer: The Organizer and P&J Live accept zero liability for the artistic outcome, healing process, medical complications, or allergic reactions resulting from tattoos performed during the event. All civil claims reside exclusively between the client and the independent artist.
6.2 Property Loss & Theft Disclaimer: Exhibitors bring stock, equipment, and personal effects onto the venue premises entirely at their own risk. Neither the Organizer nor P&J Live assumes custody or responsibility for theft, loss, or damage occurring during setup, exhibition hours, or dismantling.
6.3 Facility Damage Indemnity: Exhibitors are financially liable for any structural damage caused to booth shell schemes, venue flooring, walls, or electrical infrastructure during their occupancy.
7.1 Eligibility: Tattoo competitions are open exclusively to artists registered as booth exhibitors working live at the Convention. Non-attending artists cannot submit entries.
7.2 Fresh vs. Healed Categories: Entries in 'Fresh' categories must be 100% started and completed on the exhibition floor during the Convention hours. Any pre-existing line-work, ghost lines, shading, or prior outline work will result in immediate disqualification.
7.3 Healed Category Rules: Entries in 'Healed' categories must be entirely healed with zero skin irritation, fresh touch-ups, or scabbing. Models must be physically present on stage for judging.
7.4 Blind Judging System & Criteria: Judging is conducted 'in the dark' (blind judging) via an electronic token system. Sourd, independent judges evaluate entries without knowing the identity of the artist or studio. Criteria include: Initial Visual Impact, Technical Linework, Color Saturation & Blend, Shading Depth, Anatomical Flow & Placement, and Lastability.
7.5 Plagiarism & Misconduct Penalties: Disqualifications occur for plagiarized designs, copyright infringement, or finishing single-day entries outside designated hours. Disqualified winners forfeit trophies and prize pots (£4,000+ total pool), and public notices will be issued across official media.
8.1 Child Safeguarding & PVG Compliance: Personnel managing child-friendly zones (Kids Zone) comply with the Protection of Vulnerable Groups (PVG) (Scotland) Scheme under the Protection of Vulnerable Groups (Scotland) Act 2007 and Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014.
8.2 UK GDPR & Image Rights: The Convention is recorded via photography, video, and live broadcast for promotional and archival purposes under UK GDPR Article 6(1)(f) (Legitimate Interests). Attendees have the right to object to image processing by contacting event management.
8.3 Complaints Procedure: Any formal complaint relating to event organization must be submitted in writing within 14 days of event closure to [email protected]. The Organizer will issue a response within 21 business days.
8.4 Legal Jurisdiction Clause: Exhaustion of the internal complaints procedure is a mandatory prerequisite to initiating any legal proceedings. All disputes remain subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Scottish Courts under Scots Law.