Prisma Health, Artisphere install crowd-sourced mural at Upstate museum
Creative Rules added to The Children’s Museum of the Upstate
Are you a rule follower or a rule breaker? That was the playful prompt behind Rules, a participatory art installation that transformed a blank wall into a vibrant mural during this year’s Artisphere festival in May.
Conceived by Mexico City-based artist Paola Ibarra and generously presented by Prisma Health, Rules invited festivalgoers to co-create a living artwork using only bright tape and three simple guidelines:
- Straight lines only.
- Don’t cross existing lines.
- Must be abstract.
Some participants followed the rules with precision. Others bent them with flair. But every contribution, whether meticulous or rebellious, added to a dynamic, evolving piece that pulsed with the energy of community.
The mural’s story continues to unfold.
In September, Rules was awarded Gold for Best Sponsor Activation by the International Festival and Events Association (IFEA) at its annual conference in Palm Springs, California. Founded in 1955, the IFEA is the leading global organization supporting festivals and events professionals, with members spanning the Netherlands, South Africa, Thailand, Canada, the US, the UK, and everywhere in between. Receiving an IFEA award is a mark of excellence—and Artisphere presented by Prisma Health earned five in total for marketing and programming initiatives.
“Prisma Health is proud to support initiatives that bring people together and promote wellness through creativity,” said Robin Stelling, director of community engagement at Prisma Health. “Rules celebrates the power of shared creativity and the role of healthy expression in everyday life.”
This week, one of the seven segments of Rules found its first permanent home at The Children’s Museum of the Upstate. Additional segments have also been installed at Mitchell Road Elementary, Hillcrest High School, Tanglewood Middle School, Chandler Creek Elementary, Berea Elementary, and Sara Collins Elementary—ensuring the mural’s vibrancy continues to inspire our community.
“Paolo Ibarra’s Rules mural is immersive, interactive, and community-driven, just like TCMU,” said Lauren Luneckas, CEO of The Children’s Museum of the Upstate. “We’re thrilled to partner with Artisphere presented by Prisma Health to bring children directly into the creative process and to see the curiosity, experimentation, and creativity this vibrant installation inspires in the Upstate’s youngest artists.”
Each installation stands as a vibrant reminder of the creativity, collaboration, and joyful experimentation that defined the festival weekend. Welcoming audiences of all ages—from young children and families to students and emerging artists—these works reflect the accessibility and transformative power of the arts
“Artisphere is about connection—between artists and audiences, neighborhoods and ideas,” said Michelle Seaver, Artisphere 2026 board chair. “Rules captured that spirit beautifully, and we’re thrilled to see its legacy continue in schools and public spaces across Greenville.”
As the mural finds new life in classrooms and community hubs, its message remains clear: whether you follow the rules or break them, when we create together, we build something far greater than the sum of its parts.
Look for another engaging Prisma Health activity at the 22nd annual Artisphere presented by Prisma Health, May 8-10, 2026. Visit Artisphere.org for more information.
Artisphere presented by Prisma Health
Artisphere engages, inspires, and enriches the diverse communities it serves through a vibrant celebration of the arts.
This nationally recognized three-day fine arts festival enhances quality of life and drives economic vitality across South Carolina, welcoming more than 80,000 patrons and generating an estimated $16 million in annual economic impact. Artisphere is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. For more information visit Artisphere.org.
About Prisma Health
Prisma Health is a private nonprofit health company with over 32,000 team members, 19 acute and specialty hospitals, 3,131 licensed beds, 320 practice sites, and more than 5,900 employed and independent clinicians across its clinically integrated inVio Health Network. Each year, Prisma Health serves more than 1.6 million patients in South Carolina and Tennessee. Connect with Prisma Health on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter/X. For more information, visit PrismaHealth.org.