There is only 3 months left until Skindependence, and there has been much going on behind the scenes attempting to pull it together. After much discussion, often heated, after every avenue has been explored and every favor has been called, we have made the decision to go with the info and plans we have now, as we feel we have been left with little option.
To fill you all in, Montana is in the process of making suspension and other hardcore procedures patently illegal. To comply with departmental stance and policy, we will not be given approval for an off site (out of shop) permit.
This makes the whole thing illegal.
Because of this, my shop will not host the function (understandably so, I would never place my boss in that position anyway). The health dept controls any venue with food or beverage, so no public venue will host it. The couple of private venues around town won't allow ILLEGAL (which without health dept sanction, would be) activity, would require huge amounts of liability insurance to be covered by us.
Where does that leave us? and what is to become of Skin'd?
Frankly it leaves us with the original intent of Skin'd, specifically to be a fun relaxed weekend with our bodymod friends and family. People are still coming, and people are still welcome. We have a fun weekend planned, and there are a few activities, with our main focus being simply connecting with the people we normally only see in text. But here come the howevers...
We will NOT have a Health Dept sanctioned place for you to get work done by the artists attending. Any work that gets done, and where it gets done, is something that the artists coming, and the clients will have to work out for themselves. The artist coming have some suggestions, but as I said, that is between you guys, but me and the family won't be providing the space.
One of our members, Jawbonz, has graciously offered a sheltered and sturdy area with which to suspend from, and a private area that can be set up to throw the hooks in. It is on his private property but separate from his living areas. You have to remember to respect his home, and the rules of the neighborhood, specifically noise regulations. The specifics are still being worked out with Jawbonz and the artists coming.
This year you will not have Off the Hook, because as most of you already know, we disbanded last year. There will be experienced professionals available for suspension, but again, no public lists, no open invite, and it is all to be handled privately. Off the Hook equipment will be available for use, but without our big sponsors there is no way we can offer up the supplies. This means costs and or fees involved will be worked out privately.
As we get closer to date, more specifics will be release, but this is a gist of where we stand now.
I know it is disappointing to many of you, as it was for us, but such is the political climate we find ourselves in. I am sure once I post this, people who are still coming will speak up, and maybe some of you others can contact them and discuss their plans for the weekends. I am still looking forward to seeing you all, and it will still be fun amongst friends.
Montana
