D.O.T. e.V.
-- Germany’s Organized Tattoo Artists, incorporated society --
Andy Engel (board member)
Our incorporated society “Deutsche Organisierte Tätowierer” (Germany’s Organized Tattoo Artists), short “D.O.T e.V.), was founded in September 1985. In the beginning, we had 30 German, well-known, professional tattoo studios as members, when our website was launched (July 1998) there were 43 studios. We didn’t want to get as many tattoo artists as possible together. We wanted to get more the artistic and professional elite of Germany’s tattoo artists to realize our idea. The place of our business is in Berlin.
In the past 13 years, when tattoos came more and more into fashion, the problems which arise from this trend became bigger and more complicated.
Hygiene, botched work, “bio tattoos”, conventions, profiteering, copyrights and collaboration with the also expanding specialized press are only mentioned marginally. The wish of some tattoo artists for solving those problems together lead to the founding of this incorporated society.
Our prior aim is it to offer customers the best service in selected, qualified tattoo studios. These studios were selected because, in respect of hygiene and trade, they work optimally and professionally and are perfectly equipped. Botchers, unhygienic working artists and profiteers should be deprived their work foundation. Better customer information and cooperation with local health authorities should help that existing regulations are observed – for the benefit of canonical-run studios.
There is always an information exchange about hygiene, conventions and so on among the “D.O.T” studios. Additionally, hygiene seminars are offered to the member studios, legal problems are solved and so on.
Another aspired aim of us is it to nourish and promote the art of tattooing. And we also want that the art of tattooing gains the owing respect from the public.
Likewise, the cooperation with the press, especially with specialist magazines, and other media is very important.
Conventions can be organizationally improved by suggestions and criticism of members. The recognition of a tattoo artist as an artist, for example to receive the benefits of the artists’ social insurance, is ought to be promoted.
At last, the solidarity and the friendship among the tattoo artists should strengthen. We want to work more closely together with foreign tattoo artists and perhaps want them to join us. Professionally working artists are always very welcome if they fulfill our qualifications.
Board of the “D.O.T e.V.”, July 1998
This is the link to our official website: