Spotlight on Empty Bowls Art Charity Events

Photo caption: The Empty Bowls project is one example of how art charity events can change lives during Tackling Hunger Month. Image by Susanne Jutzeler, suju-foto from Pixabay.

Valor and tenacity. These are the things that superhero movies are made of. They’ve also the deciding quality of artists who have changed the world, even above great talent. It isn’t too cliche to say that artists in the coming Art Revolution will change the world for the better one canvas at a time.

Or one bowl at a time, so the case may be. Not all art charity events involve million-dollar paintings on the auction block at a big-city art auction house. Some, like the Empty Bowls fundraiser, ask community participants to pay for a bowl of soup and some bread in order to learn about the effects of hunger in their own communities. 

Often, people who organize Empty Bowls fundraisers do so during a month like October, because it coincides with an event likeTackling Hunger Month. If you’ve never heard about how this art-based charity is firing up support in local communities across the country, here’s what you need to know.

The Empty Bowls Project: A History of Fearless Community Support

In 1999, Lisa Blackburn and art teacher John Hartom started the Empty Bowls fundraiser. This art charity event was born when Hartom asked his art students to make ceramic bowls in their art classes. His students produced an amazing 120 bowls for the original Empty Bowls fundraiser.

The bowls were then used as the dinnerware at that first fundraising event. Soup and bread were served. The cost to attend the original Empty Bowls event was $5.

Participants who wanted to support this art charity event paid for their soup and kept the bowls as a reminder of those in the community who experienced food insecurity. 

Empty Bowls Fundraiser Projects Today

The Empty Bowls project left artist John Hartom’s Michigan community and quickly spread across the country and to the rest of the world. It is a testament to Hartom’s devotion to art and to a good cause. 

As we mentioned, many communities choose to hold their Empty Bowls events during Tackling Hunger Month in October, though not all of them. It’s possible to find an Empty Bowls event on art charity events rosters all throughout the year. In particular, many local food banks play host to them throughout the year.

Additionally, while the first event originated in a high school art class, this isn’t always the case now. Sometimes, you’ll see a local paint-your-own-pottery shop hosting an Empty Bowls event in its studio.

At other times, event organizers will ask local artists or art classes to donate the bowls that are used for the event.

Not all the bowls are used for dinner. At some events, professional artists will donate their work to the event’s silent charity auction. 

While not all Empty Bowls fundraisers have a charity auction, some do. Artists who like the idea of donating art to charity auctions can align with events like this one.

Finally, this art charity event tends to be a community project, meaning that aside from receiving donated bowls, local project organizers often solicit food and drink donations, as well local sponsors for the event, according to the Kitchn. 

Origins of Tackling Hunger Month

Tackling Hunger Month is the brainchild of Feeding America and the Campbell’s Soup Company. It began in 2002 as a way of making people aware of hunger in their communities. 

Final Thoughts on Empty Bowls and Tackling Hunger Month

Not all communities have an Empty Bowls event during Tackling Hunger Month. Here in Athens, our local food bank is doing The Hunger Bowl, an event that encourages people to collect food for the food bank. 

The Empty Bowls website has information about local events around the country. If you’re interested in hosting your own Empty Bowls fundraiser, you’ll want to get into contact with them and share your fundraising ideas with them. It’s also helpful to follow up with your local food bank and ceramic artists in your community. 

Finally, some communities will not be holding in-person events this year. However, you can still contact your local food bank to learn how you can get involved in events in your community this October. 

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