500 signatures reached
To: State Legislators Oletha Faust-Goudeu & Henry Helgerson
Introducing The 1st Tattoo & Art Institution in Kansas
My life’s goal is to become a service to others, and provide opportunities to help people realize their true potential. I’m a professional tattoo artist of 13 years, and I was once an artist who searched for an apprenticeship at multiple tattoo shops to get an opportunity. Ultimately, I ended up having to leave my home state to finally get a fair chance at an apprenticeship. Unfortunately, It happens to so many others as well. In life there are many institutions and training facilities to receive training for almost any profession one desires, but unfortunately the tattoo industry is still set in the traditional method of training, which is an apprenticeship. Although, I see apprenticeships as a great benefit and opportunity, it’s unfortunate that many people will never get the opportunity to earn a fair apprenticeship. It’s unfair to those who have the desire to earn a professional tattoo license. Their fate solely relies on if someone will give you an opportunity or not. If you can go learn to be a cosmetologist, nail tech, esthetician, etc, you deserve to have a place where you can go learn tattooing in a safe, sanitary environment that offers a thorough training as well. I’ve presented my business plan to the state board, and i have support from the directors, but it’s now out of their hands. Unfortunately there is no regulation or legislation that allows tattoo institutions, so this will be the first the state has ever seen. We need help from state legislators to introduce the bill that will ultimately lead to the states first tattoo and art institute.
Why is this important?
I know this institution will improve and preserve the professional tattoo industry, in more ways than many realize. It will offer a safe and sanitary learning environment for students coming into the industry. With available access to tattoo equipment online, people will tattoo whether the industry wants them to or not. Why not offer them a place where they will have the opportunity to come in, pay tuition and earn a thorough training for safe practices to protect themselves and their clients from any infectious diseases, and/or blood bourne pathogens? It will create so many careers for not only our students, but opportunities for instructors and other staff we will need for the institution. This will create many jobs, and create more revenue for the state of Kansas. I believe this institution will bring people from states all over the country, because they know Kansas is the standard of professional tattooing and it will be a great opportunity to come here for a thorough training. Also, In many cases, when there is an opportunity given to learn from a licensed mentor, students are forced to pay 10k-15k up front and with the state not being involved with the one on one training of an apprentice, the trainer can cut the training of the student for any given reason, or if the trainer decides he/she is done and doesn’t want to continue to train this student, the state cannot and will not step in and force the trainer to refund or do right by the apprentice, because there is no legal agreement or contract through the state board. This happens way too often. If this is not passed many people will be forced to continue working from their home in a potentially unsafe, unsanitary environment, putting themselves and clients in danger, or they’ll have to leave the state for a fair shot at their desired career, or ultimately give up on their dreams. As stated before, there is a technical school, training school or institution for almost any career, but in the tattoo industry - you are forced to search for ONE person who will give you a fair opportunity and I believe that is unfair to those who have the passion and desire to learn and grow in their desired career of choice. The industry has grown tremendously, it’s time we facilitate it and share the knowledge of the industry the right way. As stated before, with easy access to tattoo equipment - people will tattoo regardless, why not help preserve our craft & help them earn a professional license? The state tattoo board is going through many changes to compete and compare with the licensing requirements of other surrounding states such as Colorado who has lenient licensing requirements, & Missouri who only require 300 hours to earn a professional license, the tattoo institution solves every problem our state board is facing. There are a few tattoo institutions in Europe, but the only tattoo institutions in the US are in Louisiana, Florida and Oregon, & they only require 360 hours to become a professional tattoo artist. Kansas currently requires a respectable 1200 hours to become a professional tattoo artist, an institution in the state of Kansas will not only preserve our craft but it will keep Kansas at the forefront as the standard of the professional tattoo industry.