International Porphyria
Art Challenge
Sharing the realities of porphyria through creative expression
Announcing the 2026 International Porphyria Art Challenge Winners!
I thank you lots, Porphyria by Maria Paula Galvis Forero
4 Ever Porphyria Strong by Brayden Hamilton
Overcoming pain to bloom again by Margarita Maria
Thank you to all participants!
We were blown away by the creativity and skill of porphyria community. View the entries below which captured the realities of porphyria in crochet, poetry, painting, drawing, stained glass, film, collage, photography, digital illustration and more.
Porphyria: The Inner Battle by Ayssa Schulz
It has not erased my name by Mischa Keeling
My own blood poisoned me by Harsheena Cheema
The King's Anathema by Elsie Blackwell
Inherited Radiance by Jennifer Fimiani
Atrapada! Erictopus
Grieving the life I might never live by CR
When the World Turns by Sabina Da Vià.
EPP "Magic Girl Transformation" by VOID
La porfiria, un gran viaje by Malú Casta
EXPERIENCE OF HELL IN TODAYS WORLD- PORPHYRIA by Hiral Sanghvi
My life experience, reflected in your life experience. by Cierra N. Casson
The Way of the Unseen Warrior by Kaleo
Résilience by Z.maha
"Panhematin and Possibilities" by Brittany Williams
Free from darkness by Belen
Free by Marij
Mirage by Caitlin Turner
Bring your own shade by Cayla Danko
One apple. One day. by Aletta Longari
AIP; Mermaid and Merman; Love Saves by Ilana Popov
You carried me by Keshia Le Roux
The Elephant in the Room by S. Meaney
What the world sees by Emily
A Body That Isn't Always Mine by Hailey Grace Brionez
SELF by Kaylan McGinty
The change by Nicole Erasmus
Professor Porphy by EJ
Shaded Serenity by Erica Kyp
In a Porphyria Flare by S. E. De Haven
Deuteronomy by Melissa Brady
May the Dragon Sleep by GB
Thank You to Our Sponsor!
The International Porphyria Art Challenge is made possible by the support of Recordati Rare Diseases.
About the International Porphyria Art Challenge
The United Porphyrias Association is proud to launch the first-ever International Porphyria Art Challenge to raise awareness and deepen understanding of porphyria through creative expression!
Members of the global porphyria community, including patients, caregivers, loved ones, healthcare providers, researchers, and advocates, are invited to submit original works that reflect the realities, challenges, and lived experiences of these rare conditions.
A total of $2,000 in prizes will be awarded to the top three entries, with winners selected by public vote.
Submission Deadline: Sunday, May 17 at 11:59PM EDT
Voting begins: Monday, May 18 at noon EDT
The International Porphyria Art Challenge is made possible by the support of Recordati Rare Diseases.
The challenge is open to all members of the global porphyria community- patients, caregivers, family members, health care providers, researchers and advocates- from anywhere in the world.
A guardian must provide consent for minors under the age of 18.
Basic requirements
All forms of creative expression are welcome, including visual, digital, literary, performance, design, and experimental arts of any kind.
One submission per participant.
Work must be original, unpublished, and not previously entered in another contest.
Each submission must include a title and artist caption, and align with one of the challenges themes
AI-generated, AI-assisted, or AI-augmented material is strictly prohibited, including partial use of AI tools for visual creation, drafting, rendering, editing, enhancement, or written composition.
Works must be submitted by 11:59 PM EDT on Sunday, May 17, 2026.
Challenge Themes
Participants must use one of the following conceptual prompts and may interpret them literally, symbolically, critically, or abstractly in creating their piece:
What porphyria signifies in one’s life, identity, or sense of self
Defining oneself beyond a diagnosis
How porphyria has shaped experiences, relationships, or worldview
Navigating, resisting, or responding to challenges linked to porphyria
Invisible realities, misconceptions, or misunderstandings that deserve recognition
Emotional dimensions such as resilience, grief, hope, uncertainty, or complexity
Imagining a future or world with greater awareness and understanding of porphyria
Imaging life without porphyria
Ethical and Content Standards
Submissions may reflect positive, neutral, or difficult experiences. Inspirational framing is not required. Entries must avoid harmful stereotyping, disrespectful portrayals, or gratuitously graphic content unsuitable for public display. The organization reserves the right to exclude works that violate content standards.
Preparing your submission
All submissions must include:
The artist’s name, contact information and connection to porphyria
Title, caption and your art in an accepted file format. See requirements below.
File requirements:
Visual Media: Images must be in one of the following formats: .png, .jpg, .gif, .bmp or .heic and should be less than 12MB. Images can be any dimension. Gallery thumbnails will be square.
Text: Text entries should fit on one page and be in one of the following formats: .pdf, .doc, .docx, .txt. They can be submitted via the “Photo Upload” option.
Video and Music: For video and music files, submissions must be hosted on an external platform and a URL provided. The content can be hosted on the following platforms: Facebook, Instagram, Soundcloud, TikTok, Twitch, Vimeo and YouTube.
All submissions will be viewable in a gallery on the United Porphyrias Association’s website. You can see a demo gallery here.
Artificial IntelIigence (AI) Use is Prohibited
All submissions must be original human-created work. AI-generated, AI-assisted, or AI-augmented material is strictly prohibited, including partial use of AI tools for visual creation, drafting, rendering, editing, enhancement, or written composition. If AI use is identified, the submission will be immediately disqualified without appeal. The organization reserves the right to request reasonable verification of authorship and holds final authority in such determinations.
Exception: AI may be used to translate captions or written work for non-English speakers. The text in its original language should be submitted along with the translation.
Submission Deadline: Sunday, May 17, 2026 at 11:59 PM EDT
Voting begins: Monday, May 18, 2026
Voting ends: Monday June 1, 2026 at 11:59 PM EDT
Winners announced: June 5, 2026
Voting will begin on Global Porphyria Day, Monday, May 18, 2026 at noon EDT and close on June 1, 2026 at 11:59 PM EDT.
Each voter is allowed 1 vote per entry per day. You may vote for multiple entries. Voters will need to provide an email address.
United Porphyrias Association reserves the right to review and disqualify any votes that appear to violate the rules, including those suspected to be fraudulent, automated, submitted as spam, or cast from multiple accounts by the same individual.
Three winners will be selected via public vote. The prizes will be as follows:
1st place: $1000.00
2nd place: $750.00
3rd place: $250.00
The winning entries will be featured on the United Porphyrias Association’s website, newsletter and social media, and will be displayed in the UPA office.
Please contact United Porphyrias Association using the form below if you have any questions or require support for the International Porphyria Art Challenge.