The Kept Gate

A private forum for working tattoo artists.

0 of 300 seats taken

Apply

Who's in

Who this isn't for

The room only works if the wrong people stay outside.

The application

Sponsored by a current member.

The first 30 are by invitation—founding cohort, no application.

Years working. Shop name. Portfolio link.

“What did you wish someone had told you in year one?”

Initiation fee paid at submission. Refunded in full if you're not let in.

Next review window: Q3 2026

Start your application

Dues

Initiation

$400

one time

Annual

$150

per year

Founding member

$1,000

Once. Lifetime dues waived. Name carved in.

Ticket to the inaugural meetup included.

30 of 30 remaining

Claim a founding seat

FAQ

Why pay to be in a forum?

Because the room costs something to keep. And because the kind of people who won't pay aren't the kind of people we want in it.

What happens to my money if I'm not let in?

Refunded in full. Stripe handles it. Takes a few days.

Why no clients, collectors, or press?

This is a working room. The conversation changes the second someone outside the trade is in it.

Can I see inside before I apply?

No.

Will my name be public?

No. Membership is private. Names belong inside the wall.

Why quarterly review and not rolling?

So rejection isn't personal. So acceptance feels like something.

Who runs this?

Lewis LaBrie. Tattooer. Shop owner. Wrote Shut Up and Sweep. Built this because the conversation that used to happen at shop parties and convention bar tabs doesn't have a home anymore.