About Us

The Middle Tennessee Tattoo Expo started as an idea back in 2018. Nashville has always had a strong tattoo community, and we felt it was time for the city to have a convention that truly celebrated local talent while bringing in incredible artists from across the United States and beyond. For Nashville to have a successful, lasting event, it needed to be rooted in the local tattoo scene and led by people who are part of it.

We first planned a smaller version for 2019, but around that time, we had the opportunity to expand Safe House Tattoo Studio and relocate to East Nashville’s Inglewood neighborhood. That move needed our full attention, so we hit pause on this event.

In 2021, we hosted a Body Suit Art Show at the studio and the turnout was incredible - proof that there was real enthusiasm for a studio-organized event. Then in 2022, friends who run a well-respected tattoo expo in Iowa, Middle of the Map Tattoo Expo, approached us about collaborating on a Nashville show. The first official Middle Tennessee Tattoo Expo launched in 2024 and was met with an amazing response.

After the 2024 event, our Iowa partners decided to step back, and we took over full ownership. Today, the Middle Tennessee Tattoo Expo is fully run out of Nashville by the husband-and-wife team behind Safe House Tattoo Studio.

The Middle Tennessee Tattoo Expo is about honoring the full range of tattooing as an art form and creating a safe, welcoming space for the people who make this community so special. We invite you to be part of this journey!