Rise New York & Partners Acquires Experiential Studio Spaces&Creatures

Above: Artlab’s Bella Nardini and Edson Pavoni, photo by Rony Hernandes

Rise New York & Partners, an independent full-service creative agency, announced today its acquisition of Spaces&Creatures, a pioneering experiential studio known for its innovative and culturally resonant brand experiences. Renamed Artlab by Rise, the acquisition signals the expansion of Rise’s capabilities in creative technology and artistic innovation and aims to establish itself as a leader on a global scale.

The global experiential studio, Space&Creatures, formerly part of FlagCX that was previously owned by IPG, will move its operations to New York City.

Strategy and creative vision for Artlab by Rise will be led by Brazilian duo Edson Pavoni as global head of creative technology and Bella Nardini as global head of experience and ritual. Together, Edson and Bella will drive the studio’s vision to create meaningful and memorable brand experiences at the intersection of art, technology and ritual.

“The creation of Artlab by Rise is a natural expansion of the work we are already doing to design unforgettable experiences that draw massive global audiences,” said Rise’s partner and chief creative officer Flavio Vidigal. “I’m excited to welcome Edson and Bella to the Rise team; they have my deep respect not only for their artistic vision, but also their sense of entrepreneurship and innovation.”

Edson is an award-winning technologist and contemporary artist whose work has been showcased at two Biennales and in exhibitions worldwide, including in Beijing, Singapore, New York, Budapest, Dubai, and Rio de Janeiro. As a technologist, he has received two consecutive IF Design Awards. Pavoni founded Spaces&Creatures, where he led commissioned projects for clients such as Google, Spotify, Fiat, NuBank, Accenture, and the 2016 Rio Olympics.

Rise’s Flavio and Edson have previously collaborated on "Project Inumeráveis," an art initiative that mobilised over 900 volunteers to transform the stories of Brazilian COVID-19 victims into a powerful memorial. This project resonated deeply with the Brazilian public, capturing hearts nationwide in 2022. By the end of 2024, nearly one in four Brazilians—almost 50 million people—had engaged with this artwork. The campaign won Ad Age Small Agency Campaign of the Year, Probono, Gold.

“In the age of AI, Artlab is committed to creating brand experiences that nurture human connection through art and ritual—not by looking back but by exploring new poetics of technology.” said Edson. "Will technology divide or unite us? We believe global brands have a role to play in answering this question. In a world transformed by a pandemic, gathering people is no longer trivial. Artlab’s approach is to design sensory-rich experiences that engage vision, hearing, smell, touch, and taste— each element fiercely intentional and rooted in the ancestral wisdom of ritual.“

Bella is a global experience designer and artist known for creating transformative connections, experiences and rituals that deeply resonate with audiences and shape human behaviour. She has designed experiences for Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity, the Venice Biennale and Milan Design Week. Bella also served as global head of experience at Mesa Company, where she co-developed the company’s experience methodology and led the creation of impactful, practical, and sensory-driven results for high-profile clients like Nike, Coca-Cola, Grupo Campari, Unilever, Meta, Spotify, and Nestlé.

"To be truly transformative, a brand experience must transcend spectacle and foster moments of connection and meaning," said Bella. "Immersive experiences, designed with intention and rooted in ritual, have the power to resonate with audiences on a deeply personal and individual level."