Tree Of Life

Background

Located in Treaty 4 Territory and guided by the Treaty Principles in kâ‑nâsihcikêwin, the City of Regina acknowledges the harms of the past and our responsibility to support healing, culture and connection to the land. We are honoured to live and work alongside the Cree, Saulteaux, Dakota, Lakota, Nakota and the Métis Nation. The City strives to uphold the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action by creating opportunities that centre Indigenous voices, stories and relationships to the land.

The Urban Forest Management Plan is a long‑term strategy for protecting, planting, caring for and growing Regina’s urban forest. Grounded in wîhci‑atoskêwin askîhk – living on the land in harmony – the Plan recognizes our shared responsibility to steward the urban forest in ways that honour the land’s spirit, support ecological balance and strengthen relationships across generations. Regina’s urban forest includes all living things in the city, including trees, plants, soil, naturalized areas, park spaces and the ecosystems that support them.

Through this Call for Design, Indigenous youth are invited to share their vision of life, growth and connection through a “Tree of Life” design that will help shape how Regina understands and celebrates its living landscape for generations to come.

The selected design will serve as the visual symbol of the Urban Forest Management Plan and will appear in the final policy document, as well as educational materials, presentations, community programs and public communications. Its purpose is to help residents connect with the goals of the Plan and the living landscape it represents.

Rooted in miskâsowin—finding one’s sense of origin and belonging—this initiative creates space for Indigenous youth aged 12 to 20 to express who they are and how they see themselves in relationship with the land and the City of Regina. It offers young people a meaningful role in shaping how the community understands and celebrates the landscape we all depend on. By inviting Indigenous youth to lead this visual identity, the City honours Indigenous knowledge of land stewardship and reflects a future where culture, environment and creativity grow together.

 

Call Overview

The City of Regina invites Indigenous youth to submit an original design that represents their interpretation of a “Tree of Life.”

Design may be created in any two-dimensional medium, including:

• Digital illustration 

• Drawing

• Painting

• Collage

• Photography

• Mixed media

• Other 2D format

 

Design Requirement:

• Minimum finished size: Letter size (8.5 × 11 inches/216 × 279 mm)

• Resolution: 300 DPI

• Layout: The design should be centered, with space around the edges to allow fo reproduction across different formats

 

Eligibility 

This call is open to Indigenous youth who meet all of the following criteria:

• Identify as Indigenous (First Nations, Inuit or Métis).

• Aged 12 to 20 years old as of the submission deadline.

• Currently attending or participating in programming at one of the following:
  • A school within Regina’s urban boundaries
  • University of Regina
  • First Nations University of Canada

Shortlisted candidates may be asked to provide proof of age, identity, community connection and current enrollment or participation.

 

Submission Requirements

Please submit the following:

1. Your design (digital file or high-quality scan or photograph for non-digital works)
2. Your full name
3. Your age
4. School or program affiliation
5. Title of design and a short description of your concept (up to 250 words)

 

How to Submit

Submit your design by email to: Trees@regina.ca

If you require assistance digitizing or submitting your design, please contact Trees@regina.ca no later than 5 p.m. CST on April 9, 2026.

 

Submission Deadline

All submissions must be received by: April 12, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. CST.

 

Selection Process

Submissions will be reviewed by the Urban Forest Management Plan project team, which includes:

• Elders and knowledge keepers

• City staff from Parks and Open Space Services

• City staff from Recreation and Cultural Services

One design will be selected for use in the Urban Forest Management Plan and may be used in other City communications, promotional materials and digital platforms.

Selected applicants will be notified by email.

The first-prize winner may be asked to work with the City to edit and finalize their design if revisions are recommended by the project’s Elders/advisors.

 

Evaluation Criteria

Designs will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

• Relevance to the “Tree of Life” theme

• Reflection of Indigenous identity

• Creativity, originality and cultural expression 

• Connection to the natural environment, life and community

• Suitability for reproduction across print and digital formats

 

Honoraria and Prizes

Up to five Indigenous youth will be selected as finalists.

• First prize: $1,000 and the design will be selected for use in the Urban Forest Management Plan

• Second prize: $700

• Third prize: $500

• Youth Recognition Awards (two): $250 each

Participants may be asked to grant the City permission to reproduce their work in publications and communication materials, including social media, related to the contest and recognition of finalists.

 

Copyright and Moral Rights

Subject to the license granted to the City below and the modifications to the design described herein, the finalist will retain copyright and moral rights to their design. The City of Regina respects the cultural, creative and intellectual rights of Indigenous youth and the importance of protecting cultural knowledge and imagery.

By submitting a design, the participant grants the City a perpetual, non-exclusive, royalty-free license to:

• Reproduce the design in the Urban Forest Management Plan.

• Use the design in related City communications, materials and digital platforms.

The selected design will be reproduced and may require minor adjustments for clarity, resolution or format. The City may also create variants of the design, such as black and white or grayscale versions. These modifications are not intended to alter the meaning, integrity or cultural significance of the artwork.

The selected applicant will be given the opportunity to review and approve any proposed changes or variants before the City finalizes the Urban Forest Management Plan.

Contact

For questions or support, please contact Parks & Open Space Services at Trees@regina.ca no later than 5 p.m. CST on April 9, 2026.

 

Download Indigenous Youth Call For Designs (PDF)