New Orleans Tattoo Arts Convention 2026
A three-day Villain Arts convention at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center gathering hundreds of tattoo artists, vendors, contests and live performances.
Event details
- Dates: October 16-18, 2026
- Venue: Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, New Orleans, LA
- Location: New Orleans, LA
- Organizer: Villain Arts
- Founded: 2018
- Frequency: Annual
- Attendance: N/A
- Artists / booths: Hundreds of artists
- Tickets: $20 single day, $40 three-day pass; children under 12 free.
- Tattoo competitions: yes, judged categories run across the weekend
- Website: https://villainarts.com/tattoo-conventions-villain-arts/new-orleans-tattoo-arts-convention/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/villainarts/
About
Produced by Villain Arts, the New Orleans Tattoo Arts Convention is one stop on the country's largest touring tattoo festival circuit, drawing hundreds of tattoo artists and shops from across the US and beyond to the downtown Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. Beyond tattooing, the weekend features vendors, suspension crews, musicians, contortionists and other performance artists, giving it a carnival-meets-convention atmosphere fitting for New Orleans.
For artists, it is a high-traffic, high-visibility booking and networking opportunity in a major Southern market, anchored by a recognized national promoter. Daily and weekend-long tattoo contests across multiple categories provide a competitive platform, while the broad walk-up crowd and central location make it a practical venue for building a client base and connecting with the wider industry.
What to expect
- Hundreds of tattoo artists and shops under one roof
- Daily and weekend tattoo contests across multiple categories
- Held at the downtown Ernest N. Morial Convention Center
- Live entertainment: suspension crews, musicians, contortionists, performers
- Part of Villain Arts' national touring festival circuit
- Free admission for children under 12
Best for
Artists seeking high foot traffic and contests in a major Southern market
Notable: The New Orleans edition has run since 2018; the 2026 event is the 8th annual edition.
How we check this listing
We last confirmed these details on 2026-07-06. Dates and prices are taken from the organizer and change between editions, so treat the organizer's own page as final before you book travel or a booth.
Checked against: https://villainarts.com/shows/new-orleans-la/, https://villainarts.com/va-events/new-orlens-2026/, https://www.worldtattooevents.com/new-orleans-tattoo-arts-festival/