TATTOO CULTURE




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The Light That Never Went Out 

There is a spotlight still mounted in the rafters of 528 N. 2nd Street. It has been there since 1914. It has outlasted segregation, fire, the highway that cut Jackson Ward in two, and decades of silence. On the nights when the Hippodrome Theater fills up, that light...

Virginia’s New Marijuana Law: Everything You Need to Know

After years of legislative battles, vetoes, compromise negotiations, and numerous articles, Virginia finally has a roadmap for legal recreational marijuana sales. The state budget signed into law earlier this week establishes a regulated cannabis marketplace beginning...

Review | ‘As You Like It’ is Just How I Like It

If you’ve been reading these reviews for a while, you’ll notice I love me some context. Especially surrounding William Shakespeare’s plays. One of my favorite things about the existence of Richmond Shakespeare is that they’ve forced me to go back to the English Lit...

Fourth of July 2026 in Richmond: Fireworks, Festivals, and More

The best Fourth of July celebration in Richmond probably isn't the one with the biggest fireworks. It's the one where someone forgot the hot dog buns, the cooler is running low on ice, kids are chasing each other through sprinklers, and somebody insists they know a...

IllumiNATION Tells America’s Story on a Monumental Scale

Editor’s Note: RVA Magazine is partnering with the Virginia Museum of History & Culture on coverage related to America’s 250th anniversary, including Richmond SailFest and IllumiNation. It's hard to impress people with just a building. Yet standing in front of the...

Blöthar: “GWAR Didn’t Change. The World Freakin Changed.”

Richmond metal band GWAR says the Secret Service contacted the group following a recent performance at the Vans Warped Tour in Washington, D.C., that featured the mock execution of a Donald Trump effigy. Video of the performance, which showed band members...

Three Days of Tattoos, Art, and Fun at the Richmond Festival 2018

SEPTEMBER 28-30, 2018 Show Times: Friday: 3 PM – 2 AM Saturday: Noon – 2 AM Sunday: Noon – 7 PM Ticket Prices: Friday & Sunday: $20 Saturday: $30 Weekend (3-day): $35 – BEST VALUE! Tickets available at the door all weekend. Evening Entertainment Tickets (Sold after 8 PM): Join us from 8 PM - 2 AM for a variety of performances and acts! Friday...

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Sci-Fi Ink: Richmond’s Tattoo Artists on Their Best Work

In 2015, Richmond was the third most tattooed city in the country. Over the past few years, over a dozen shops have cropped up along Broad Street and judging from looking around VCU's campus and basically any bar in Richmond, body art is something that will always be a part of the city's culture. With so many well done, beautiful tattoos around...

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Lucky 13 Draws Crowds with Affordable Ink Deals

It's a long-standing tradition at Richmond's tattoo shops, but what makes someone wait in line for a $13 tattoo? Customers lined up by All-For-One, one of many shops along with Lucky 13 offering specials on Friday the 13th "It's really about the community," one heavily-tattooed visitor tells me. She skipped work to be here, and asks that I not...

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Customer Service and Quality Ink: Lucky 13’s Winning Combination

Over the past few years, over a dozen tattoo shops have cropped up throughout the growing Broad Street pocket and its surrounding areas -- from high-end boutique shops to budget tattoo joints, members of the Richmond tattoo scene are increasingly rubbing elbows. You might expect that all this competition would be bad for business, but Lucky 13...

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The Ultimate Ink Event: Richmond Tattoo Festival’s Milestone Year

Tattoos and street art are undeniably Richmond to the point that we should erect a monument of a giant paintbrush on Monument Avenue. As of 2015, the city was the third most tattooed place in the country and has become apart of our culture just as street art is starting to. With the fascination and popularity of body ink, it only makes sense...

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Ink Masters Converge: Richmond Tattoo & Arts Festival 2017

Jesse Smith and Kenny Brown proudly carry on the tradition of one of the world's oldest tattoo conventions! Join us from September 29 to October 1, 2017! This year's festival features an impressive lineup of tattoo artists, including both local talents and internationally renowned figures. Many Ink Master contestants will be in attendance!...

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Richmond’s Ink Explosion: Festival Showcases the Best of the Best

Tattoos are no longer a piece of art that are occasionally seen on someone’s body around Richmond. Everyone from VCU students to musicians, teachers to soccer moms, seem to have collected at least one tattoo on their body. It’s become integrated into our culture and also landed us as the third most tattooed city in the country. With our community...

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Top Tattoo Artists Compete in Richmond for Ultimate Bragging Rights

Tattoos are more than just designs on someone's body here in Richmond. They're something our city is now known for and have become just as much a part of our rich culture as murals or music venues are. Richmond has become so obsessed that now we're even holding a competition for them. Jesse Smith, tattoo artist and shop owner of Carytown tattoo...

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