Artists: City of Billings Seeks Cartoon Tree Mascot Creator

I always think it's fun when the City of Billings gives us, the general public, an opportunity to provide input on somewhat trivial matters. Like when they ran a promotion earlier this fall to come up with names for the two, coming-soon new reservoirs on the West End.

This time around, Billings Parks, Recreation & Public Lands - Forestry Division is seeking artist submissions for the creation of a new mascot. The mascot's name will be Pondo, referencing Montana's state tree, the Ponderosa Pine.

Artwork submitted for Pondo must be original and not generated by AI. The City adds:

• All entries must be a ponderosa pine in some form.
• It should be a fun and engaging character.
• It should be original, creative, and recognizable.

Read More: The NFR is a Wrap in Vegas, How the Montanans Performed

What's the purpose of Pondo?

Pondo will be used to educate our youth on the importance of our urban ecosystem. The character will help the Billings PRPL Forestry Department spread the word of Urban Forestry and share updates and information in the department.

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Artists of all skill levels are encouraged to apply.

The entry deadline is January 19. Entries in JPEG or PNG format should be emailed to millern@billingsmt.gov. Three different poses of your Pondo creation are required. The winner of the promotion will receive $400 and worldwide recognition.

Okay, we may have made up the "worldwide recognition" part, but this is still a pretty cool deal. Local artists are preferred, and a strong understanding of the theme will help bump your submission toward the top of the pile.

Other rules: No overtly political, religious, or sexual designs. No AI-generated images, advertising, or logos. You can find complete details about this promotion HERE.