2025 ArcGIS StoryMaps Competition

Cohosted by Esri’s ArcGIS StoryMaps and ArcGIS Living Atlas of the World teams

Meet the competition winners, including the Community Choice Award selected by you and by readers worldwide.

Browse the 2025 Winners Gallery
Abstract image of a young man, scientific data in hexagons, and blue geometric elements

Global storytelling competition

Esri is pleased to announce the 2025 ArcGIS StoryMaps Competition.

  • Take a geographic approach

    The world’s greatest challenges—including climate change, sustainability, and social and economic inequality—are interrelated and inherently tied to geography. GIS tools help people understand those challenges and communicate solutions through place-based stories.

    Learn about GIS

  • Tell stories with maps

    Maps are an integral part of storytelling—a story can effect change, influence opinion, and create awareness. ArcGIS StoryMaps enables storytellers to easily combine text, maps, and interactive content to make engaging stories that inform and inspire.

    Browse storytelling resources

  • Tell your geospatial story with ArcGIS Living Atlas content

    ArcGIS Living Atlas of the World is the foremost collection of geographic information from around the globe. It includes layers, maps, apps, and tools to support your work. Explore featured apps or search all ArcGIS Living Atlas content for your story.

    Get started with ArcGIS Living Atlas
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Showcasing geospatial storytelling skills

Every year, the ArcGIS StoryMaps Competition lets participants show how they use GIS tools and geospatial data. Every map tells a story.

For the 2025 competition, ArcGIS StoryMaps and ArcGIS Living Atlas teamed up to share best practices and innovation in storytelling, cartography, and data visualization. 

Esri challenged storytellers worldwide, ages 18 and over, to build an ArcGIS StoryMaps story or collection that uses ArcGIS Living Atlas of the World content—from data layers and satellite imagery to 3D basemaps and deep learning packages. 

These storytellers submitted their stories to the 2025 ArcGIS StoryMaps Competition in one of three categories:

  • People
  • Infrastructure
  • Environment

In each category, students enrolled at least half-time at a college, university, or two-year academic institution could compete in a student-only track. 

Guest judges selected a winner and student winner in each category. Additionally, Esri recognized three special award winners, including the Community Choice Award winner selected by you and the global geospatial storytelling community.

Visit the companion hub site for the 2025 ArcGIS StoryMaps Competition to explore mapping and storytelling resources.

Explore the hub site
A map of shipping routes across the Atlantic, Europe, and Africa, showing patterns of human activity.

Key dates and submission deadlines

 SUBMISSION DEADLINE

  • December 12, 2025, 5:00 p.m. (PT)

FINALISTS ANNOUNCED

  • February 10, 2026

WINNERS ANNOUNCED

  • April of 2026

Follow @ArcGISStoryMaps on X for ongoing competition resources and announcements.

A computer monitor displaying a satellite image of Earth representing an ArcGIS StoryMaps story about the Mariana Trench

Recognition

All winners will:

  • Receive an Esri certificate
  • Be featured on the Esri website and in an interview
  • Receive an award at Esri’s 2026 User Conference  

Each winner may accept a voucher for an Esri Technical Certification Exam: one (1) per individual or two (2) per team.

Each category winner only will receive a printed copy of Telling Stories with Maps: one (1) per individual or three (3) per team.

A monitor displaying an illustration of Earth with a large area in white representing a story of sea ice and ocean warming

Requirements

Applicants 18 years and older globally may enter the competition once in one of three categories:

  1. People
  2. Environment
  3. Infrastructure

Each category will include a student track.

An applicant may be an individual or a group submitting one entry.

Entries must be built with ArcGIS StoryMaps and include ArcGIS Living Atlas of the World content.

A computer monitor displaying an ArcGIS StoryMaps story with a block of text beside a photo of an oceanographer posing by the ocean

Judging criteria

Esri will select up to 15 finalists for each category. From the finalists, the guest judges will select one winner and one student winner in each category.

Esri also will recognize one winner of each special award below: 

  • Community Choice Award
  • Storytelling with Maps Innovation Award
  • Living Atlas Innovation Award

A computer monitor displaying aerial image of a highway overlaid with a web of bright colors suggesting frequently used routes

Terms and conditions

When entering the ArcGIS StoryMaps competition, you must agree to the terms and conditions.

Review terms and conditions
A computer monitor displays a comprehensive map illustrating a large network's structure and connections.

Meet the guest judges

Access the webinar where you can meet the 2025 competition judges.

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Resources

Find tips and tricks to get you started.

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Get inspiration for your story

Browse the 2025 winners

Visit the gallery

Build your story with ArcGIS StoryMaps

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