All members of the OpenStreetMap community are invited to propose a session for State of the Map US 2026, coming to Madison Wisconsin this summer! Each year, the conference planning committee is continually impressed and delighted by the wide variety of conversations State of the Map US is able to foster through our program – from hyper-local mapping efforts and homespun tools to international disaster response and data collection efforts. Unlike recent years, there is no distinct theme for State of the Map US 2026, except for OpenStreetMap of course!
Timeline
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December 15, 2025: Call for Proposals opens
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January 5, 2025: Fellowship application opens
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February 16, 2026: Call for Proposals closes
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Mid-March: Speakers notified
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June 11-13, 2026: State of the Map US
Session Formats
This year has the widest range of session types on offer yet. In addition to the classic lightning talks, longer talks, workshops, mapathons, panels, and birds of a feather sessions, we’re also bringing back the popular poster session from State of the Map US 2025!
Attendees of SotM US 2025 at the inaugural Poster Session.
Need Inspiration?
Maybe you’ve never been to State of the Map US before and you’re not quite sure what folks would like to hear. Well, there are two great reasons why you should submit a session this year:
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More than a quarter of our conference attendees each year are first timers, and
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We can practically guarantee you that if there’s a topic in the OSM ecosystem you’re passionate about, there are others out there who share your interest.
Almost all of the past presentations from State of the Map US are recorded and up on the OSM US Youtube Channel. It’s a great place to get a sense of the breadth of topics folks cover over the course of three days.
Presenters from Kendall County, Illinois giving their talk “Hold on to your Pearls Grandma, We’re Switching to OSM!” at SotM US 2025.
Please Note
Keep in mind that by submitting a session proposal you acknowledge and accept the following:
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You must be able to give your talk, workshop, or other session in person in Madison. If you are only able to present virtually, please check out our virtual conference series, Mapping USA. While talk submissions are closed for MUSA 2026, we hope to see you in 2027!
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You will cover your own travel expenses and conference registration. Speakers are able to register at the early bird ticket rate of $200.
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Your session may be recorded on video and published on the internet.
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You have read and will abide by the OpenStreetMap US Code of Conduct.
Have questions? You’re welcome to join the #sotmus channel on the OSM US Slack or email the program committee at sotmus@openstreetmap.us.
If you’re submitting a session proposal on behalf of a nonprofit, corporation, academic institution, or government agency, we invite you to take a look at our Sponsor Prospectus. Sponsors are vital to maintaining the high quality of State of the Map US while offering lower admission than other industry conferences.
