Exhibiting Our World

The biennial International Cartographic Conference is characterised by a host of activities and events in addition to the main presented sessions in the conference rooms. Keynotes and parallel sessions are a major part of the conference programmes, but many other scheduled activities are incorporated, along with events which are worthy of attendance at any time during the week. Among the latter are the exhibitions, long associated with these occasions, which offer the best of cartography to the world. A technical exhibition is one highlight, as is the presentation of maps and atlases sourced from all over the world for the International Cartographic Exhibition. This exhibition is always a spectacular demonstration of the skill, endeavour and creativity of cartographers across the globe. In 2011, at the Paris ICC, an excellent setting in the centre of the main foyer in the Palais des Congrès saw 35 countries display over 600 map and atlas items between them. One of the benefits of affiliate membership of ICA for commercial companies and educational institutions is that they also can exhibit mapping products at each ICC.

Conference participants receive a fully descriptive catalogue of the International Cartographic Exhibition, which was available in Paris in both digital and hard-copy format. The catalogue is a record of achievement in the field of world cartography with details of scale, publisher, dimensions, language, media, description and other information for each exhibit. The digital nature of contemporary cartographic products is also reflected in the possibilities of showing dynamic and movie-based mapping in an effective manner.

The exhibition is judged by an international jury of cartographic experts and a series of prizes are awarded for the best maps on display. For the past three ICCs, the jury has operated under the distinguished leadership of Corné van Elzakker (The Netherlands) who has ensured that the highest quality of cartographic output was recognised and rewarded. The prize winners contribute to the regular ‘Map of the Month’ feature on the ICA website, yielding further publicity for the best maps.

The Dresden ICC in August this year will continue the impressive sequence of International Cartographic Exhibitions, in the stunning setting of the International Congress Center Dresden. National cartographic committees will be selecting maps to represent the best of cartography in their own countries over the course of the next few weeks. One thing is for sure: the quality will be high, and the experience of viewing the exhibition should not be missed.