HIV education at the Tattoo Convention in Puerto Rico

San Juan, Puerto Rico | December 15, 2025 | By Team Proyecto TIES

Interpretación artística en la tarima de la convención de tatuajes.

The International Puerto Rico Tattoo Convention, held at the Puerto Rico Convention Center, brought together more than 200 tattoo artists—both local and international—from December 5 to 7. The event showcased diverse artistic expressions and offered tattooing services in an environment that highlighted creativity and cultural exchange between body art practitioners and the attending public.

As part of the event’s educational initiatives, Project TIES reached more than 200 people at its booth, where it provided information about HIV and guidance on where to obtain treatment. In addition, everyone who visited the TIES space had the option of receiving a free henna design, which encouraged public participation. This strategy helped attract a larger number of attendees and facilitated the dissemination of HIV-related information.

The participation of Project TIES in the International Puerto Rico Tattoo Convention demonstrated how art and education can come together to raise awareness about public health. Initiatives like this reinforce the importance of bringing vital information to alternative community spaces.

Henna artistry being performed at the Project TIES booth.

Members of Project TIES engaging with visitors at the booth.

Tito Orlando Ortiz, Media Specialist at Project TIES, talks about HIV and the project in an interview with the event’s organizing team live podcast.