Rita Gomes, a researcher at Digimedia and a PhD candidate in the New Media doctoral program at the University of Aveiro, participated as a speaker at the 12th edition of the Urban Creativity conference. The event took place at the Faculty of Fine Arts of the University of Lisbon, from July 3rd to 5th, 2025.

Her participation aimed to present key findings from a part of her doctoral research, while simultaneously strengthening ties with the academic community and fostering dialogue on the preservation of intangible cultural heritage in urban art.

The researcher presented the article entitled “Cultural Mapping in Street Art: A Systematic Literature Review,” in which she sought to offer a comprehensive overview of current cultural mapping practices, exploring the benefits, possibilities, and experiences resulting from the application of this methodology to urban art. The research highlighted the application of cultural mapping to various urban resources and artistic expressions, such as graffiti, public art, and photography, emphasizing the potential of this approach in documenting community interaction with urban space and enhancing the sense of place.

For Rita Gomes, the conference was an “excellent opportunity to meet other researchers who share the same passions as me, with whom I had the chance to validate the findings of my study, which underscore the urgent need for greater representation of graffiti and street art in academic research.”

Rita Gomes adds: “Cultural mapping is a powerful tool to give visibility to this art form and to safeguard cultural heritage before it’s too late — and it is crucial that the academic community, including Digimedia as an institution that contributes to the study of digital media, comes together to bridge this gap.”

The Urban Creativity 2025 conference, which adopted a fully hybrid model, is internationally recognized as a crucial forum for discussing and exploring topics related to urban creativity, design, public art, and the impact of artistic interventions in cities.

Photo by Urban Creativity.

Maria Júlia Vieira and Catarina Feio, PhD students in New Media and members of DigiMedia Research Center, attended the 7th Sopcom Young Researchers Meeting, held on July 9, 2025, at the Fernando Pessoa University in Porto.

During the event, Maria Júlia presented a poster entitled “Harassment and Toxic Culture in Video Game Live Streaming: Challenges and Proposals for a More Inclusive Environment”. Her presentation was featured in the poster session, which showcased innovative research into communication, digital culture and inclusion.

Catarina Feio presented the communication: “Youth, News and Social Media – the News Consumption Practices of Young People in Portugal”, part of her PhD research. The talk was part of the session on “Audiences and News”.

The meeting brought together young researchers from all over the country, encouraging the exchange of knowledge and debate on emerging communication issues, with sessions dedicated to visual culture, digital literacies, journalism and society.

The participation of Maria Júlia and Catarina Feio highlights the commitment of DigiMedia and the PhD Program in New Media in promoting research with social impact and relevance.