Creative Combat 6.0

ROB MURRAY: I’m speaking with Mia Riley from artsPlace. Creative Combat 6.0 is coming back on Saturday, November 14^th. A bit of a different format this year with COVID, right?

MR: Our team has spent a really long time trying to reimagine the ways in which we can shift our well-loved event to have an in-person and virtual hybrid. You can watch the entire show virtually. There are a limited number of in-person tickets just to kind of keep the group at artsPlace very small.

RM: Are there still tickets available for the in-person part?

MR: There are still tickets. We have a few other venues within walking distance of artsPlace on Main Street involved. We’re selling our tickets for artsPlace first, then once those tickets sell out we’ll sell a few more for other viewing parties at some other local venues such as The Hive gallery downtown.

RM: What is the event all about for those who aren’t familiar with it?

MR: It’s our annual fundraising gala with 12 artists each trying to do a painting in 20 minutes. There is a voting system so that people can pick their favorite artist. The event also has an MC and a DJ, so a fun environment and banter going on there.

RM: I’m looking at the list of artists and I noticed that you’re on it. Have you ever done Creative Combat before?

MR: No, it’s my first time doing Creative Combat. I’ve jumped in and have been practicing my painting at home a lot, trying to get up to the same level as the other artists that are competing.

RM: Is canvas your traditional medium?

MR: No, traditionally I am a ceramics artist working in 3D and in clay. I think I’m going to probably do something ceramic-ey in my painting.

RM: I’m looking forward to seeing the result. In addition to the event itself, I understand there’s something cool happening online where people can also get some great stuff and help you fundraise?

MR: With our Creative Combat event we always run a silent auction. This year we’ve put the auction online. It goes for 10 days and ends on our Creative Combat night on November 14^th. It’s an amazing auction, there’s like 70 items. One of my favourite things in the auction is the paintings from the artists who are competing. The artists have donated one of their own paintings to be auctioned, as well as the 20 minute paintings that they’ll do during Creative Combat that are going to be auctioned off at the end of the night.

RM: I can imagine since this is one of your largest fundraisers of the year it’s really important for people to participate, especially this year.

MR: Yeah, it’s been a bit of a difficult year, especially on our team. We’re just trying to imagine how to bring the joy and creativity that we normally have through all of our events throughout the year. This is our first big virtual and in-person event. It’s almost like a kickoff for us to kind of bring that joy back to the community.