Do you have听lived听experience with pain and a passion for creative expression?听In collaboration with the Global Alliance of Partners for Pain Advocacy (GAPPA),听PAIN听invites artists to听submit听original artwork that reflects听your听personal experience of pain for a chance to be featured on the cover of our September听2026听issue, in conjunction with Pain Awareness Month.听A shortlist of听exceptional听projects听will also听be highlighted by听GAPPA and the听International听Association听for the Study听of听Pain听(IASP).听
Who can听participate:
Individuals with lived experience of pain鈥攚hether chronic, acute, or related to health conditions鈥攁re encouraged to share their unique perspective through art.听
About听PAIN听
PAIN听is听IASP鈥檚 flagship scholarly听journal, devoted to publishing the most听cutting-edge听research on听the nature, mechanisms, and treatment of pain. We invite you to browse听our听听for examples of听art that has been featured in the past.听听
Submission听Guidelines:听
- Artwork should be original and visually compelling.听AI-generated art听is not eligible for听consideration.听
- Any medium is welcome (painting, drawing, digital art, photography, mixed media).听听
Submission Materials:听
- Submissions will need to be uploaded digitally in听the following format:听
- TIF听or EPS听formats听are听preferred.听Raster听images听must be at听least听300 dpi.听
- Images听of any aspect ratio听may be听submitted. However, please be aware that the听selected听art听will听be听formatted听to fit听the dimensions of听a PAIN cover:听8.5听inches听by听11.25听inches听(approximately听21.5听cm听by听28.5 cm),听an aspect ratio听of approximately听3:4.听Preference听may听be听given to听art听that could听be听easily adapted to听these听specifications.听
- Please note that the PAIN logo听covers听approximately the听top听quarter听of the听journal听cover.听Preference may be given to art that听does not include crucial details that would听be obscured by听the logo.听听
- As听a听reference, we are providing听a copy of the听PAIN听cover听logo听that you can overlay on your image听to听determine听how听good of听a fit your听material might听be:听[]听
- This听element听is听provided听for reference only.听Please do听not听submit听an image with the PAIN听logo already听incorporated into it.听
- A title and听brief artist statement (150 words max) describing the piece.听You may听choose to听include details听about your inspirations,听motivations,听techniques, materials, and听context of the work within your greater oeuvre.听
听Deadline:听1听May 2026
听
The selected听artwork will be听showcased听on the September听2026听cover of听PAIN, with听additional听features highlighting the artist鈥檚 story and creative process.听The artist will also have a chance to be interviewed听on听the 喵咪社区鈥檚 newest podcast,听Pain Exchange, to speak more about their work and the artistic process.听
Your story matters to us. We are honored to amplify lived听experience听voices through art in this issue!听