On a Sunday in late September 2015, I attended the first official UKAPP seminar then titled UK Piercer Meet Up. We met in a social club’s basement that smelled like stale beer and had vaguely sticky floors. The ceilings were low, the lighting was dim and the space was cramped, but it didn’t dampen any of our spirits as we were too happy to be part of something bigger than ourselvesto start forging a community like the APP overseas we all aspire to.

The first year, I felt was a success, with Ryan Ouellette coming to not only teach, but also show support for our infant organisation and help us along the way. I met Ryan for the first time there and spoke with him about my goal of attending the APP Conference the following year, if I felt ready and confident enough to apply for the scholarship. His advice was impartial and well thought despite him being on the committee of people that awarded the scholarships; I already felt my anxiety about the prospect abate. He offered invaluable advice and support to many of us and helped educate us as a collective with his informative and relaxed teaching style. Simply having him there made the whole day seem more legitimate and established.

This first year was casual and took place over a single afternoon with just over thirty of us, but we left feeling refreshed and invigorated, ready to continue self-improvement as piercers and to strengthen the bonds we’d formed as a fledgling community. The majority of us had only met that day, some coming from other countries, previously with only professional contact online, if that.

The year that followed was full of education and interaction on a daily basis as more folks joined the UK Facebook group and started contributing with advice, techniques, and individual expertise. By the time September rolled around again we were all ready to gain some knowledge.

Yet more folks from APP came this time including Brian Skellie, Luis Garcia, and Paul King, who gave great classes. The new setting was a business suite at a swanky hotel which was a far cry from the first year’s venue. I think the room was full to overflowing that year with yet more people ready to learn; about sixty of us were there in 2016 for the two day event and the feeling of excitement continued to grow as our community and bonds strengthened.

I didn’t feel ready the previous year to apply for the Al D. Scholarship, but shortly after this round of classes and socialising I began to feel comfortable with the idea of doing the same thing in another country, on a grander scale, surrounded by familiar faces that I hadn’t met yet in real life. As daunting a prospect as it was, I applied for the scholarship in December 2016 and when I found I had been successful and chosen such a mixture of feelings flooded me elation, pride, and a gripping fear of feeling in over my head. Despite having wanted this moment to come for the past three years, I still didn’t feel truly ready or even deserving of the opportunity I’d been granted and I was determined to put my best foot forward, shedding the fear with each step. The UKAPP group was a fantastic tool to help me, as the previous connections I’d made with UK piercers made it easier for me to reach out to some individuals who had been in my position and ask about their first APP Conference experience, readying me for my own.

June 2017 finally came and I flew alone for the first time a huge deal in itself across the Atlantic to meet all the wonderful people that make Conference magic, to throw myself into the world of APP and I enjoyed every minute. Working as a volunteer while being a first time attendee (who took far too many classes) was exhausting, but it also helped to keep me grounded as I was instantly welcomed into a family of volunteers and organisers that lived, breathed, and slept (a bit) the Conference experience. I felt like I quickly became an integral cog in the well-oiled machine that is APP Conference. We all had a job that needed doing, a place we belonged, and a want to help one another, to make the best possible impression all round.

I had such a wonderful experience at my first APP Conference. It changed my life, certainly my outlook on friendships and the community we’re all a part of. I feel without first stepping out of my comfort zone by travelling to meet strangers in my own country, I never would have thought I’d be capable of attending Conference solo. I’d thought about it for such a long time and with such fervour that I almost made it seem unattainable to myself simply because I wanted it so much. Yet here I am, writing about my conference experiences with such a feeling of tranquillity as I do so, knowing I belong there, the feeling of being an outsider started to fade at that first UK meet up in 2015, but it truly left me when I became a part of the volunteer family at APP in June.

Three months passed since I returned from Vegas and the weekend of the third UKAPP drew closer. I felt no nerves this time, not even a pang of anxiety, simply excitement to be able to reconnect with fellow piercers, some I’d seen in Vegas a few months before, but most I’d not seen in a year. The venue was the same classy hotel, yet this time we had the entire floor available. More rooms had been opened up as an increase of vendors came this year, bringing their stunning wares. In addition to the larger variety of jewellery available, the raffle prizes were more prestigious. A scholarship program had been launched and there was a marked increase in the calibre and quantity of classes some were lectures, others became hands-on  workshops in a smaller setting and a few were open forums for discussion each uniquely taught and presented. This year too we had even more international speakers. We also had a really nice show of camaraderie from the UK folks as people with information to share with the collective and our industry took a stand and taught a class or two.

UKAPP has continually grown each and every year. Having already outgrown the venue we’ve recently been situated in, I think we’re even moving cities to allow for a larger area in a better connected city for next year. The first meet up I attended was something I was already proud to be a part of, but seeing how much it’s grown in the past two years is unbelievable. So much love and passion has been committed to this movement of furthering the UK industry as a whole. Instead of just being a group of individuals trying to accomplish our dreams, we are all starting to pull in the same, worthwhile direction, sharing information we know to be worth learning, regardless of whether the person benefiting from it is our “competitor” or not quite at a level of skill we’d like to see. This is how we get there, together.

The lesson APP taught me is that we are all simply cogs, we can get along just fine on our own, but when we group together to become part of something bigger than ourselves, that’s when the magic happens. UKAPP 2018 is already something I know anyone attending will be proud of, and while it’s nowhere near as polished or developed as APP it is a foundling organisation ready to grow, take shape and gather momentum. For anyone in the UK reading this, you should absolutely attend next year; you will not regret it. Same goes for people within Europe, we’re all pretty well connected so let’s not let borders get in the way of our collective education! Even folks further afield will find this event worthwhile, especially if you can use it as an opportunity to see the beautiful English countryside and some of our studios, just make sure you bring waterproof clothing; the reputation of our weather is there for a reason, so don’t say I didn’t warn you.

I sincerely look forward to seeing what the UKAPP has to offer us all in years to come and it’s been a pleasure to be a part of, if only as an observer and an attendee. I hope my involvement will only deepen and my self-confidence increases as time goes by. Regardless, one thing I am sure of is that the UKAPP is already an invaluable resource to new and seasoned piercers all over the United Kingdom, and our nearby colleagues. With further involvement from anyone in a position to help, it will not only benefit the people already part of the organisation, but for future generations of piercers to come.

I already know that if the UKAPP was established when I started piercing I would have grown faster as a piercer, but at the same time I’m glad I had the shaky, self-taught introduction that I did into this industry.  I treasure so much because through my own pitfalls and shortcomings, I have been able to work harder to change everything with my own hands and now I get to taste the fruits of my hard earned labour. I’m under no impression that this is a rite of passage that every person wanting to become a piercer must undergo, and I hold no bitterness or resentment toward the newest generation of piercers that have all this pertinent information readily available to them, but it is up to them to utilise it to the best of their ability. I only hope I will be able to help in one way or another with someone’s quest for knowledge, the very same way people like Ryan helped me. Be kind and considerate and never knock someone for truly wanting to learn and better themselves.

No matter where you feel you are in your piercing career a seasoned veteran around since BME days or someone fairly new, perhaps at apprentice level these organisations are here for you to make yourself a part of and improve yourself in any way you can. If you have something worth teaching, you know where to find people eager to listen. If you feel that you are a small fish in a big pond with deep seated feelings of inadequacy (kind of talking to myself here) that  is precisely what the UKAPP and APP are here for self betterment and in turn the betterment of our industry as a whole. It is not an unachievable dream, especially not if you take a deep breath and jump into this world of readily available, invaluable information feet first. We’ve all been in questionable situations at one time or another. Half the piercers I know, myself included, wouldn’t even say we had a proper apprenticeship. I can only speak for myself here, but without the APP’s outreach program and public education I would not have picked up as many pertinent bits of information that my “apprenticeship” neglected to recognise as important. Instead, it’s being a part of all of these forums and groups, these pockets of subculture that willingly impart lessons on anyone paying attention and asking the right questions that taught me how much I truly still had to learn. Get involved and visit the next conference for your sake as well  as that of your clients, peers, and even the general public. It is lack of understanding that breeds ill will and resentment, so the more we know, the more we can help with the betterment of one another and the industry; we all help continue the legacy in our own ways. Now that so many valuable tools are available to us, utilise them to educate yourself, for knowledge is power and we are forever learning!

One weekend a year in England, piercers from across the UK and Europe gath er together to share knowledge, discuss business, talk social media and get their hands on some of the world’s best jewellery. This year, we also got to throw axes at Danny DeVito.

The third annual United Kingdom Association of Professional Piercers Conference began on Sunday, 17th of September, with around 110 attendees; quite the growth from our first year, where 35 of us (including speakers and vendors) crammed into the basement of a Birmingham nightclub for one day of  talks and socialising. From this small, but fun event, we grew into our second year, where we moved to a hotel and extended our event to two days of talks, due to the fact that we doubled our attendee numbers. Year three proved even better, not only with us needing to add yet another day of talks, but needing to add   a second classroom as well; our numbers tripling from our first year!

In years past, we’ve been lucky to receive an incredible amount of support from the Association of Professional Piercers and this year was no different. They once again provided us with some of their fantastic speakers; UKAPP regular Ryan Ouellette kicked off day one. He presented his “Tongue Piercings” class, which had already proved a big success at this year’s APP Conference in Las Vegas. The room filled up quickly with people eager to improve their core knowledge, something that we at the UKAPP strive to implement as much as possible at our own conferences.

But he didn’t stop there. Ryan gave another talk later that day, which had the classroom once again packed to capacity: “Septum Piercings, Where Skill Meets Luck.” It’s a common subject within the UK forums, with many piercers getting “The Fear” when a client comes in asking for this particular piercing, so this talk was highly anticipated. We took  a survey from our attendees after the conference and had one attendee stating, “The septums class was a game changer!”

Not to be outdone, we had our second classroom this year acting as a roundtable room, with some of the UK’s best and brightest leading discussions. Speakers included Aiden Johnson (whom some of you may have seen at APP giving his talk on Metals), our fabulous President Nicole Holmes, and a special guest speaker, Sue Hutchinson talking about self care. Sue is the mum of our lovely secretary Kim and a wonderful addition to our speaker team!

For those unfamiliar with a Roundtable, though the talk is lead by selected speakers, it’s a place to openly discuss our ideas, opinions, and offer help to each other through conversation and troubleshooting. Personally, these are some of my favourite types of classes, as they often prove less intimidating to those who may not want to ask a question in an 80 person classroom, but don’t mind so much chatting with 20 or so others in a more casual environment.

As day one came to an end, whilst some were headed to the bar  or  dinner,  around 40 of us were gearing up for a very different event… Axe Throwing! The unofficial after party of UKAPP 2017 was organised by one of our Scottish piercers, Nikki Lloyd-Proctor. She arranged for the venue, Whistle Punks, to open its doors to us on the one day a week they were closed, so we could try our hand at some hatchet throwing. This was also a teetotal event, as we knew there were a good number of non-drinkers who may want to have entertainment other than hanging round a  bar or sitting watching reruns from their hotel room.

“I’ve learned so much, and I felt so welcomed, a part of the UK piercing family! THANK YOU IMMENSELY FOR EVERYTHING!” UKAPP attendee

After a few practise demonstrations and a quick request for some more event appropriate music (pop music and piercers don’t oft go hand in hand) we got to business. This is where poor Danny DeVito comes into play! Brought along for a giggle by lovable Liverpudlian Mick Stocko, the lifesize cardboard cutout didn’t fare too well or for too long after he got hung up for target practise!

Day two was set into full swing with talks from Sala from Pinpoint discussing Surface Anchors. Paul King gave a full update on the FGM laws that are currently affecting the UK piercing scene, a subject with which he has been consulting with many of us on. There was also a welcome return of Dr. Matt Lodder of Colchester University and his new class “Myth of the Modern Primitive.” Matt has been teaching and working around the UK, specialising in tattoo art history and UK body piercing history and has an enthusiastic audience at UKAPP!

Meantime, some of our first time UK speakers took over the roundtable room, including an in depth (and invaluable) class on Social Media from Maree Fowler, Andrew Davenport, and Sebastian Wolfe Pickersgill, and a chat with Dr. Emma Spoor, a regular piercing fan who works closely with President Nicole Holmes.

However our star speaker from day two was so popular, we had to turn people away due to the room filling to capacity before it had even begun! Mike Hill originally thought that his idea would interest a handful of people, but after a gentle nudge and a couple of chats, he agreed to take on the roundtable room with his discussion “A brief introduction to disposable piercing.”

As of yet, working with disposable tools and equipment hasn’t garnered too much attention in the UK, but with the unexpected popularity of this discussion, it could soon be in the cards for a lot of piercers looking to improve their practises. Mike gave a concise and highly informative chat as well as providing goody bags to those who came along (although we all underestimated just how many people wanted to see his talk and getting a goody bag almost became a status symbol.)

Day three came around all too soon, but boy did we go out with a bang. Not only did we have one President, oh no, we had TWO. Former APP President Brian Skellie and current President Jef Saunders both made an enormous effort to join us this year, with Jef travelling directly from the Fakir Intensives in the US to Birmingham UK and teaching within 12 hours of landing. We didn’t let him off with an easy day either, Jef gave a fantastic talk on Nipple Fundamentals in our main classroom. He also co-presenting two more talks in our roundtable room, along with Ryan Ouellette and rising star of the UK scene, Lola Slider from Glasgow, Scotland.

Brian Skellie, as anyone who has ever met him will verify, is more like a vast calm sea of knowledge than a fountain of knowledge. He once again provided us with a fascinating talk on Bevel Theory, in which there’s always something new to be gained from his engrossing explanations. He also provided us with more of his brain power by co-presenting an anodizing class with Lola. It is evident from the influx of anodizing posts on UK forums that this class was a big success.

Lola Slider, as aforementioned, is one to watch in the piercing world, not only for her precision and dedication to quality piercings and jewellery, but the way in which she presented her classes this year. Her natural ability to hold the attention of 30 odd piercers packed into a small room, swarming around her to see her needle bending techniques was something to behold. She held her own amongst industry heavyweights and we cannot wait to see where the future takes her next (and we hope that will be with us again next year at UKAPP 2018!)

“In the short time the UKAPP has been going, it’s taking on a life of its own, we love you all, great job”–UKAPP attendee

We were happy to see even more vendors this year, both homegrown and international! From independent jewellers such as Alice Ruby, Stonewolf, and Danila Tarcinale, to Naga Jewellery, Sacred Symbols and the team from Lovely Lobes and Maya. Special thanks goes out to the amazing gang from Industrial Strength UK, headed by fearless leader Patrick Kielty, who even spent his birthday with us at conference! Paddy has constantly shown support for the UKAPP and has made ISUK a gateway brand for many of  the UK piercers who had not previously had the opportunity to see the jewellery up close and personal. Without the loyalty and love shown to us all from this bunch, UKAPP wouldn’t be the same!

Now, it may be known to some of you that piercers occasionally like a party; well, the UK crowd is certainly no exception! This year we held a Rocky Horror Themed party at the bar of our venue hotel, The Radisson Blu, with fancy dress encouraged! We were not disappointed by the outcome either (you’ve reallynot lived until you’ve seen how great Paul King’s legs are in fishnet stockings.) Although there was no ‘Best Dressed’ award, incredible outfits were worn by Becky Crossan of Inkhaus Tattoo, Peter Monckton (our Vice President!) and the gorgeous bunch from Adorn Art Gallery!

This year was a year of firsts for a number of reasons. Our members grew into double digits! We’ve been accepting Members into the UKAPP for the past year   and have grown from the 6 Board Members, to over   20 current Members (with all but two in attendance     at conference this year!) We’ve already got a few applicants ready for when the Board reopens the application process and we look forward to welcoming more members from the UK and from overseas as well. You can see more details about membership via the ukapp website www.ukapp.org.uk. We  also introduced the Mentor  Program this year, where people could ask to be buddied up with another attendee. As an industry, a large number of us suffer from anxieties in one form or another, often social anxiety, and whilst we do what we can to help ease these anxieties, we thought that attendees may benefit from one-on-one mentoring. We had a separate registration section on our conference floor, a half hour introduction and mingle with our assigned mentors and mentees and a bit of quiet away from the crowds towards the entrance of the floor. It went well and we hope that this is something we can keep going for next year.

It’s been a crazy year. Myself and the other Board Members were thrilled with how it all came together. We want to express our deepest gratitude to the APP for their unwavering support, the volunteer team who helped keep the conference running as smoothly as possible, and to the friends and family of the Board Members who helped keep us cool as cucumbers in the run up to an event which holds a deep and special meaning to us all.