Call for Artists: 12 Jays of X-Mas 2025 Launches Statewide Artist Search

Natalynne DeLapp
4 days ago
2 min read

Seeking bold, whimsical artwork to bring California’s favorite cannabis holiday box to life

The 12 Jays of X-Mas is back for 2025 — and we’re looking for a talented California-based artist to design this year’s special edition holiday cannabis gift box.

This grassroots, community-driven project highlights the magic of sun-grown cannabis, the beauty of the Emerald Triangle, and the festive joy of the holiday season. The 2025 campaign will feature 2,000 gift boxes filled with premium pre-rolls from small farms in Humboldt, Mendocino, and Trinity Counties — sold statewide through 40+ retail stores and celebrated at a series of Holiday Craft Faire events in major metro areas.

We're seeking an artist to deliver the core visual identity for the campaign, including the full box design (inside and out), a printed insert, and vector assets that can be adapted into promotional materials by our in-house designer.

What We’re Looking For:

A complete design package including:

Exterior and interior box artwork (last year’s box measured 6" x 18")
A printed insert to go inside the box
Vector-based design assets (Adobe Illustrator) for use in:
- Social media graphics
- Print and digital advertising
- Website and retail marketing

Your design should reflect the spirit of:

Whimsy — creative, fun, and imaginative
Earthiness — rooted in nature and the Emerald Triangle
Celebration — the joyful feel of a handcrafted holiday tradition

The name “12 Jays of X-Mas” is a playful reference to both joints ("jays") and jay birds, and we encourage creative interpretations of either or both.

Compliance Reminder:

Designs must comply with California Department of Cannabis Control (DCC) regulations and must not be appealing to children. That means:

No cartoon-style artwork (e.g., no Santa or mascots)
No candy or toy imagery
No childlike fonts or color schemes

Think: elevated, artistic, adult-friendly.

Compensation:

$1,000 artist stipend, paid in two parts:
- $500 within 30 days of final artwork delivery
- $500 by January 1, 2026
Artist credit on packaging and campaign promotions
Two complimentary 12 Jays of X-Mas 2025 gift boxes
Invitation to sell your original art/products at our Craft Faire events in December

As a grassroots fundraiser with limited startup funds, we appreciate your flexibility. Your art helps power this campaign and uplift our community of small cannabis farmers.

Ownership & Usage:

This is a paid commission. Upon final payment, all artwork and assets will become the sole property of the project organizers. The artist will be credited appropriately, but we retain full rights to use, modify, and reproduce the artwork across packaging, digital/print marketing, merchandise, and future campaigns.