Workshop: Creating Inclusive Cartographies with OpenStreetMap
Inclusive Cartographies with OpenStreetMap
Workshop Series

Are you interested in maps and in how underrepresented demographics are represented? Have you ever considered that maps are not inclusive enough and might not be working for everyone (and maybe for you)? This is your opportunity to design and build alternative maps based on equity principles that serve your needs.
In this workshop series, you will learn how to create maps that address particular needs of underrepresented minorities using data that is available in OpenStreetMap (albeit not always displayed or even ‘hidden’) in innovative ways. We have prepared two consecutive, independent sets of workshops:
- Design brief: in this workshop, organised with the Living Maps network, participants will work in groups to create a brief that describes how are they envisioning a map to address a topic of their choice.
- Cartographic style: in this workshop, organised with City St. George's University of London, participants will turn the design briefs produced in the first workshop into cartographies using OpenStreetMap data.
What will you get from these workshops?
Besides contributing to the research made at “Can Digital Goods be Neutral? Evaluating neutrality in OpenStreetMap”, participants will be getting the following:
- Theoretical and critical understanding of the relationship between maps and the politics of representation.
- Understanding of how OpenStreetMap data works, how to contribute to it and how to query it for your purposes. (only for those attending to the Cartographic style workshop)
- Technical knowledge to create custom map styles for OpenStreetMap. (only for those attending to the Cartographic style workshop)
- Socialising and networking with people with similar interests and different backgrounds.
Participant Information Leaflet
Thank you for taking an interest in participating in our research project! Participation is entirely voluntary, and we are deeply grateful for your invaluable help. In this document, you will find key information about who we are, what we do, what we’d like to ask you and what your rights are so you can make an informed decision.
Dates and venue
The first workshop of the series will take place on the 8th May at the University of Warwick Campus:
- Room: FAB4.52, University of Warwick
- Date: Friday, 27/06/2025
- Time: 9:00-17:00
If you are interested in taking part of this, but can't make it on this day, please register your interest so we can invite you to future editions.
Who is this workshop for?
Anyone wanting to attend will be welcome, but people from any of these broad groups will find it particularly interesting:
- People from non-hegemonic demographics (women, racialized, LGTBQ+) who feel that current maps do not sufficiently address their needs.
- Map enthusiasts, Data visualization enthusiasts and OpenStreetMap users with a keen interest in EDI issues.
- Activists, Researchers, or people sensitive to EDI issues and inequalities (we will particularly welcome people interested in issues related to gender, race or queer topics).
Pre-requisites
- No previous knowledge about mapping or OpenStreetMap is required, although it will be welcome. The workshop will provide the necessary introduction to the topics.
- Participants will need to bring their laptop