NOVA Mafra- Music, Art and Technology
The NOVA University Lisbon and the Municipality of Mafra have joined forces to create NOVA Mafra – Music, Art and Technology, a new space dedicated to research, education, artistic creation and technological innovation, with music at its core.
Located in the South Tower of the National Palace of Mafra, part of the Royal Building of Mafra, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2019, NOVA Mafra is rooted in a territory where music is an integral part of its identity and history.
The project also reflects NOVA’s vision as a metropolitan university, strengthening its connection with the different territories of the Lisbon Metropolitan Area and fostering lasting relationships with their institutions, communities and heritage.
Music, Heritage and Technology
Music lies at the heart of NOVA Mafra, understood simultaneously as a field of research, a form of tangible and intangible heritage, and a space for experimentation and creative practice.
The Hub is part of the Institute of Art and Technology (IAT) at NOVA University Lisbon, a space for convergence between the arts, humanities, science and technology. The project is rooted in the work of CESEM – Centre for the Study of Sociology and Musical Aesthetics and INET-md – Institute of Ethnomusicology – Centre for Studies in Music and Dance, research centres at NOVA FCSH dedicated to the study of music.
In Mafra, these centres will develop new scientific and laboratory activities, including the Musical Acoustics Laboratory and the Music Informatics Laboratory, bringing together research, experimentation, specialised training, technological development and artistic practices.
These activities are complemented by the HEDGE Lab, developed in collaboration between NOVA FCT and NOVA FCSH, which will establish a Digital Heritage Laboratory in Mafra, dedicated to the use of digital technologies for the documentation, preservation and enhancement of cultural heritage.
The opening of NOVA Mafra, on 10 September, marks the beginning of a new chapter of collaboration between NOVA University Lisbon and the Municipality of Mafra.
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