The demon Oni dressed in a kabuto, surrounded by a long and large Hebi, the serpent symbol of protection. A red sun in the background, sprinkled with some kanji and oriental calligraphy.
The poster for the 13th edition of the Besançon International Tattoo Show (BITS) looks like an Irezumi, these traditional Japanese tattoos. In the Land of the Rising Sun, tattooing holds a special place.
Visitors to the convention in Besançon will of course find this style at Micropolis on March 21 and 22, but that’s not all. “We always pay tribute through our posters. The Japanese style and Polynesian style remain the two historical trends of tattooing, so it was the occasion. But there is never a theme on site because our event brings together professionals from very diverse worlds,” explains Jean-Marc Bassand.
“Young people think differently today”
There will be 280 this year, coming from around the world to showcase their style, “their art,” says the director of Millenium Events, who founded and still manages the event.
“There is a growing interest in Eastern Europe and especially in Turkey. They are starting to be very interesting,” observes Jean-Marc Bassand, also owner of La Main Noire in Besançon.
If the number of tattoo artists has exploded in two decades, the demand has changed and is causing a upheaval within the profession. A situation that the organizer of the Besançon International Tattoo Show analyzes with perspective.
“With the change in European law, a large part of the tattoos are black and gray and young people think differently. The vast majority of requests today concern ‘patches,’ these small discreet tattoos with more or less symbolic value. They are done very quickly and it annoys historical tattoo artists, fans of large designs (laughs). But you have to adapt, otherwise it’s the end, as for several historical tattoo studios that have closed in recent years. The small wave today on an arm is the big tattoo of tomorrow because the client will be accustomed, confident and will come back,” continues the organizer of the Besançon Tattoo Show.
A steady turnout in Besançon
Conventions are also affected by the evolution of practice and consumption. Similar meetings to the one in Besançon are experiencing a decline in attendance, forcing organizers to adapt, or even transform their concept. All? No.
The convention in Besançon, populated by die-hard tattoo enthusiasts, seems to resist this trend. While Millenium Events saw a 15% decrease in attendance in 2025, and again 18% this year for the Lille convention it co-organizes, the BITS still hovers between 9,000 and 10,000 people.
“The only question I have concerns the holding of the municipal elections on Sunday. Our audience is loyal and our Besançon convention will always retain this same DNA: a festive and convivial organization where our visitors can discover hundreds of tattoo artists and creators, with multiple activities, concerts and shows to fuel this weekend. We must remain connected to several alternative cultures in my opinion, because tattooing is one of them,” he adds.
A breakdance battle with the speaker from the Paris Olympics
For this 2026 edition, the Besançon International Tattoo Show plans to bring back the Bisontin collective Porte Avions and their spectacular breakdance show to liven up the weekend.
“Visitors loved their battle. In my adolescence, tattooing was associated with hard rock, punk, and underground rock. Today, it’s more about rap,” smiles Jean-Marc Bassand who, to animate this break session, has managed to find a figure from the industry: speaker Maleek, also known as Malik Moujouil, designated to lead the battles at the Paris 2024 Olympics, will be on the mic in Besançon.
The MerQlab collective, an explosive DJ set on Saturday evening
The big novelty in terms of festivities concerns Saturday night with an electro-themed evening, hosted by the Bisontin collective MerQlab. A “very exciting” DJ set, jokes Jean-Marc Bassand.
“They are turning things around at every event they go to. Besançon is very attached to electro, more than anywhere else!” A way also to open the event to a non-tattooed audience.
More information:
13th edition of the Besançon International Tattoo Show, from 11 am to 8 pm on March 21 and from 11 am to 8 pm on March 22. Day pass: €14. Weekend pass: €24. Student, PMR, and under 18 pass: €7 per day. Free for under 12s accompanied. Ticketing available on besancon-tattoo-show.com or at the event entrance. Micropolis Exhibition Center, 3 Boulevard Ouest, 25000 Besançon.
The complete catalog of tattoo artists at the Besançon International Tattoo Show can be found on their website besancon-tattoo-show.com.
