Australian National Map Competition

In celebration of the International Cartographic Association’s (ICA) International Map Year 2015-2016, you are invited to demonstrate the power of maps and submit a map to the Australian National Map Competition themed on demonstrating the power of maps.

Entries will be evaluated by a panel of experts with a variety of prizes for the best maps.

Selected entries will be exhibited on the Surveying & Spatial Sciences Institute website and there will be an exhibition of submissions at the 9th International Symposium on Mobile Mapping Technology (MMT2015, 9-11 December 2015, Sydney, Australia, www.MMT2015.org) and at the Locate 16 Conference (11-14 April, 2015, Melbourne; www.locateconference.com).

Static Maps–Paper Maps

Individual Award - Sole-person projects not part of formal employment¹
Organisational Award – Submission made by an organisation. Can be from a private company, business or government agency.
Student Award (Primary, Secondary or Tertiary) – Submitted by a student and/or class. Each education level will be assessed separately and awarded separately.

Dynamic Maps– Web Maps, Interactive Digital Maps and Mobile Mapping Applications

Individual Award - Sole-person projects not part of formal employment¹
Organisational Award – Submission made by an organisation. Can be from a private company, business or government agency.
Student Award (Primary, Secondary or Tertiary) – Submitted by a student and/or class. Each education level will be assessed separately and awarded separately.

1. Individuals are encouraged to enter maps produced in the course of sole-person projects, individual volunteer work, and self-initiated projects (such as after-hours “tinkering”). Maps produced by an individual but in the normal course of work for an organisation should be submitted for the organisation awards.

Special Peers Choice Award – Submitted maps will be eligible for a Special Peers Choice Award. The dynamic maps selection will be made by the delegates attending the 9th International Symposium on Mobile Mapping Technology (MMT2015, 9-11 December 2015, Sydney, Australia). The static maps selection will be made by the delegates attending the Locate 16 Conference (11-14 April, 2015, Melbourne).

Prizes

  • The major prizes for the static maps will be announced later on the SSSI website. The individual award prize is complimentary registration for the Locate 16 conference and up to $500 towards travel costs;
  • The major prizes for Dynamic Maps awards are complimentary registrations for the 9th International Symposium on Mobile Mapping Technology (MMT2015) and to present their winning maps in a special session at MMT2015;
  • Other prizes are available for the runners up.

Submission Process

  • Entries must be received before 19 October 2015;
  • Static Maps Category Submissions must include a digital copy of the static map in a file size that can be emailed, also a hard copy of the map must be sent to SSSI Head Office for display. The maximum size of the static map should be no bigger than A0;
  • Dynamic Maps Category Submissions must include URL and any username/password required to access the site;
  • All submissions should include a description of the map or application, explaining its purpose, as well as the methods used in its creation, and any software and data used in its design and production;
  • Email completed submission forms to MapCompetition@sssi.org.au

Evaluation Criteria

  • Appropriate map layout and design (cartographic elements i.e. legend, scale, letter sizes, typography, colour, symbols, projection, index map, title);
  • Readability of the map (balance of map elements, visual contrast, graphic density, effective choice of colours, image/background contrast);
  • Overall impression (how well the theme is communicated, etc.);
  • How effective the maps are at demonstrating the POWER OF MAPS.

The judging panel will be announced on the SSSI and MMT201T websites in October 2015. The judges’ decisions are final.

Winners will be announced on the 19 November 2015

Available Resources

Information and guidance about cartography and map design are available from the websites of the various Commissions of the International Cartographic Association (ICA) www.icaci.org. Open source data and software to prepare maps is freely available online, e.g. Quantum GIS at www.qgis.org, SAGA at www.saga-gis.org and data.gov @ www.data.gov.au.

For more information Australian National Map Competition:

Visit: www.sssi.org.au/newsdetails/commission/868/6.html; or Contact MapCompetition@sssi.org.au

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