Applicants are NOT chosen on a first-come, first-served basis. If you meet all program criteria, the Lead Artist at your preferred P.ink Day location will then try to match you with a participating artist based on their skill set and the design ideas submitted in your application. We always try to match qualified applicants with an artist, but it isn’t always possible at the preferred locations.
We host P.ink Days in cities across the United States to bring women together to celebrate their bodies. Through education and connection with experienced tattoo artists, we are committed to ensuring that breast cancer never has to leave the last mark.
Applications are now closed for our 2024 P.ink Days. 2025 Applications will open next summer. Stay tuned for announcements!
What are P.ink Days?
Every October, tattoo studios across the United States close their doors for a day to create a free and curated healing experience for people who have had mastectomies and are seeking closure through coverage of their scars with beautiful artwork.
“I remember the experience of getting the tattoo more than I remember the pain. When I showed up to the tattoo shop, I was greeted by volunteers and local leaders with wonderful big smiles. There were other recipients who’d gone through a similar experience and they seemed just as excited and scared as I was. That day, we let our guards down with each other and made lifelong friendships, creating a new sort of family. This experience changed my life. When I look in the mirror now, I don’t see ugly scars – I see beautiful artwork and bravery.”
— Erin Burnett, Personal Ink Program Manager
Who is eligible?
If you have had a mastectomy and are interested in covering your scars with a tattoo, and you meet all of our program criteria, you can apply to become a P.ink Day recipient. Our past recipients are diverse in age, race, location, and background, and we look forward to reviewing your application to join them.
Who are the artists?
P.ink Day tattoos are completed by talented and trained tattoo artists who are experienced in tattooing over scar tissue successfully. These artists donate their time and talent to help make this your final breast cancer chapter.
Applying for a P.ink Day
So, you want to apply for a P.ink Day, but aren’t sure what happens next? We’ve got you covered.
Steps to Apply
1. Check the Criteria
Confirm you meet the P.ink Day criteria. If you don’t meet all of the criteria, we encourage you to try again in the future if/when your circumstances change.
2. Review Locations
Review the list of P.ink Day locations for this year and decide your first and second choices. We typically release the list of locations in June of each year, so check back if they’re not currently available.
3. Pick a Style
Decide what style of tattooing you’re interested in by reviewing our Tattoo 101 page.
4. Apply
Complete an application! We typically begin accepting applications in the first few weeks of July of each year. Join our mailing list to be notified of the date and time that applications will open.
5. Be Patient
Wait patiently while we review your application. You will receive a confirmation email after you submit your application. However, we are unable to respond to individual inquiries about your submission or acceptance while we review.
6. Get an Answer
Learn if your application has moved forward and if you’ve been matched with a tattoo artist. It may take 4-6 weeks after applications close to finalize our recipient lists and communicate results with everyone.
P.ink Day Criteria
- You have had a mastectomy (single or bilateral) and are seeking a decorative tattoo over your mastectomy site. You understand that P.ink does not provide nipple/areola tattoos, side or under-breast tattoos, or port or TRAM scar tattoos as part of P.ink Days.
- You are at least two years out from your last surgery and have no pending surgeries. Note that some scars can take longer to heal and it will be up to the tattoo artist to determine whether they can achieve a good outcome for you or if it would be better for you to wait.
- You do not have any existing tattoos on your chest area (between your neck and bra line area). Areola tattoos are okay.
- You agree that you will receive a tattoo that can be completed in 6-8 hours. A reasonable frame of reference is a medium open-hand-sized tattoo. If you want more than that, it is your responsibility to make those arrangements well ahead of time and offer to pay your artist for additional sessions. You also understand that they may not be available to schedule you immediately.
- You understand that you will be matched with an artist best suited to execute your design ideas. Your artist is the expert and will have the final say on design composition and placement as they understand what will work best with your body and scars.
- You understand that you will see your draft tattoo design the day of your event, and the opportunity for adjustments will be available at that time. There will be a mandatory phone/video or in-person consultation with your artist to discuss your design ideas before that.
- You can fully commit to the date and location that you sign up for.
- You understand that you are allowed to bring one adult guest who may attend the opening ceremony at the beginning of the event and return for your reveal and closing ceremony at the end of the day. Unfortunately, we cannot accommodate guests at our tattoo shops for the entire day.
- You agree to cover all travel-related expenses should you choose to travel to a P.ink Day location.
- You agree that images of your tattoo from the event may be used by Fuck Cancer and/or Personal Ink for marketing purposes.
Read recipient stories
FAQs
Got some questions? We’ve got answers. Here is everything you need to know.
Are applications accepted on a first-come, first-served basis?
How does artist matching work?
Qualified applicants are matched with available artists at our locations based on how well the tattoo styles the applicants are open to align with the skill sets of the participating artists. Not all artists are experienced in all styles of tattooing, and not all provide tattoos with color. The more styles you are open to, the better chance you have of being matched with an artist at the location you apply to.
How can I find out when locations are announced and applications are open?
Stay tuned to our website and social media pages for announcements. Better yet, join our mailing list for announcements.
Can I reapply if my application did not meet all program criteria?
Yes. We encourage you to reapply if and when your circumstances change and you meet all of the program criteria.
If I was already a P.ink Day recipient, can I apply again?
Prior participants in P.ink Days or the P.ink Angel Fund do not qualify to apply again.
Can I submit more than one application per year?
Only one submission per applicant per year is allowed, however you are able to include a second choice location within your one application. If you submit multiple applications, only the first submission will be considered.
How are locations decided?
We have a roadmap for expansion into areas where we currently have no coverage, taking demand, population density, and many other demographics into account. We identify artists in those areas through recommendations from our current trusted artist network.
We understand and love that many people want to organize P.ink Day events in their hometowns, and while we cannot guarantee if or when we’ll be adding your town to our roadmap, we invite you to fill out a volunteer interest form. We will reach out if and when we have a need!