Painted Block stands for candor, creativity, and sense of community, and shows how you can actively support people and projects without taxcuts or an official label. In the shape of a tattoo convention, donations are being collected, and transferred to third parties we chose ahead of the convention. The donation receivers can be nonprofit, but not recognized as charitable as well (p.e. Asmara's World, Incito).

We invite tattooers, piercers, artists, and diverse organizations to our event. Alternatively, you can directly apply to take part, either via mail, direct message on Social Media, or personal request. Usually, we accompany our search for participants on our Social Media channels. Painted Block foots the bill for materials (paper towels, trashbags, cling film), a table-bench-set (no tattoo chairs!), and catering.

The Gängeviertel established itself as our event location in Hamburg, though we want to try out new things, such as changing the room combination so that everything is easily approachable for everyone. Perspectively, we might want to change the location altogether, and even check out new cities – get in touch if you've got a nice idea!

You can send us a request via mail. Then we will share all information regarding the event (date, open times, procedure), and we will send you an application form. For advertising (posters and Social Media), we would appreciate you sending us a couple of your motifs, and a self-portrait. 

Taking part in this, you choose the prizes for your motifs yourselves, you collect the money until the event is over (or you want to leave), and subsequently, you balance the cash with our collective's finance person. We are not able to issue charitable donations receipts, only the receipts for the amount that you gave us. Off the amount you collected this day, you subtract your expenses (such as materials, or travel costs), and hand in your contributions to the donation pot.

If you have any information about misconduct, problematic incidents, or other concerns that could prevent you from participating, please feel free to contact us. We have people on our team who are experienced in awareness work, and we want to be there for you.

Painted Block is a registered organization that promotes social causes. Because it does not fulfill the requirements of being a charitable organization, it does not receive taxbreaks, taxcuts, or discounts. In principle, associations are subject to taxation.  

We offset the maximum tax burden that the association could expect to pay annually against the income from the events. Accordingly, the amount we pass on is often less than the event revenue. If, after clarification with the tax office, the tax burden is lower than expected, we will use the remaining amount to pre-finance the following year, upcoming event costs, or the next donation target. If you would like to help us with the costs, please feel free to transfer a donation to our association bank account.

Painted Block e.V. cannot fully meet the formal requirements for this status. Our activity actually consists simply of passing on money — we have no other activities that would serve the purpose of the association. However, both of these criteria must be met in order for us to be recognized as a non-profit organization. That is why we were rejected by the Hamburg tax office.  

As a charitable non-profit organization, donations can only be made to other charitable non-profit organizations. That is precisely why we are happy not to be a non-profit organization ourselves: so that we can provide support independently of the social climate, pressure from political parties, and association goals that are pleasing to the tax office. A good example is the VVN-BdA, which lost its non-profit status for two years in 2019 and was on the verge of closure. 

It should also be noted that if we were to obtain non-profit status and then have it revoked, we would face additional payments that we would be unable to cover. This would mean the dissolution of the association. In the event of dissolution, we have decided that the remaining account balances should go to Rote Hilfe e.V. We all do the association's work on a voluntary basis and in our free time. Non-profit status would also mean more bureaucracy, which we don't have the capacity to handle.