Cartography 17 Artist Q & A Maria Montejo, Indigenous Storyteller Maria is known often for the work that she does as an educator, motivational speaker, a consultant on Indigenous ways of life and practises. She specializes in mental health issues and for Cartography 17, She is known as the storyteller or traditional knowledge keeper. As […]
Cartography 17
Cartography 17
Cartography 17 is a 10' X 20' restorative, collaborative and inclusive project that is creating new map of Toronto with the input of its diverse residents on the foundation of the culture and tradition of the First Nations people of the region. Join us and a team of artists at our workshop to create YOUR map of Toronto.
Cartography 17 uses a multifaceted approach to map-making by collaborating with Indigenous consultants; Lindsey Lickers & Renee Thomas, Traditional Knowledge Keeper; Maria Montejo, a cartographer, artists and residents of local communities.
At each location, the team of artists accompanied our Map Animator, Daniel Rotsztain to publicly illustrate the creative process. Each session was opened by Maria Montejo to emphasize and educate participants at each site about the rich heritage of the land on which we reside, Indigenous customs, creed and culture.




Daniel Rotsztain
Map Animator


Maria Montejo
Indigenous Storyteller


Lindsey Lickers
Indigenous ConsultantCITY-WIDE ACTIVATIONS
Indigenous Land Recognition
Today the meeting place of Toronto, traditionally named Tkaronto, is home to many Indigenous people from across Turtle Island.
Art Starts would like to acknowledge that our community arts centre has been built on the traditional territory of Tkaronto, "sticks in the water" of the Mississaugas, the Haudenosaunee, the Anishinaabe and the Huron-Wyndat.
We are grateful to have the opportunity to work in the communities across our modern GTA and on this traditional territory.
Thank You's & Community Partners
We would like to thank the following community partners for contributing to Cartography 17 in varying capacities: Native Canadian Centre of Toronto, Gladstone Hotel, Klink Coffee & The John Howard Society of Toronto, The Learning Enrichment Foundation(LEF), Nellie's Shelter, Sick Muse, Family Service Toronto - Options Program, North York Community House and Unison Health & Community Services.
This initiative is made possible by the community fund for Canada's 150th, a collaboration between The Toronto Foundation, the government of Canada and extraordinary leaders from coast to coast to coast.
Special Thanks To:
























& To Our Funders As Well



Indigenous Storyteller Maria Montejo
Click the Soundcloud player below for a full-length clip of her opening remarks for Cartography 17!
Booklet | Cartography 17
Tkaronto "A new perspective on Map Making"
https://issuu.com/artstartsto/docs/artstarts_cartography17_final_highr