The St. Kate's Empty Bowls Projects - ice Cream Social

The National EMPTY BOWLS Project began in 1990 when a high school art teacher in Michigan helped his students solve a problem. They were searching for a creative way to raise funds to support a food drive. What evolved was a class project to make ceramic bowls for a fundraising meal. Guests were served a simple meal of soup and bread, and were invited to keep their bowls as a reminder of hunger in the world.

By the following year, the originators had developed the concept into EMPTY BOWLS, a project to provide support for food banks, soup kitchens and other organizations that fight hunger. Since then, EMPTY BOWLS events have been held throughout the world, and millions of dollars have been raised to combat hunger.

The St. Kate's Empty Bowls Project began in 2011 when Clay Club students decided that they wanted to join the National Empty Bowls Project. The St. Kate's Empty Bowls Project makes bowls to raise funds for Open Arms of Minnesota, a nonprofit organization that cooks and delivers free nutritious meals to people living with life-threatening and chronic illness as well as their caregivers and dependents in the Twin Cities.

Open Arms was selected as the recipient of our work because of its focus on helping provide nutritious food for both those that are sick and their caregivers. It is a simple notion: people who are sick should not be without food. It is doubly important since many illnesses require special diets. Open Arms pays close attention to the individual nutritional needs of each recipient while preparing meals. This community served by Open Arms is amongst the most vulnerable to COVID-19 which makes our support more important than ever!

St. Kate's Empty Bowl Making Workshops are open to ALL. Students, faculty, staff, administration, alumnae, family and friends. No previous experience is needed and you are encouraged to attend multiple workshops to glaze, make more bowls and bring more friends. Classes or groups can schedule private workshops. For more information or questions, please contact stkateemptybowls@stkate.edu or Monica Rudquist at merudquist@stkate.edu

Workshops are led by students in Ceramics Service Learning classes as well as members of the St. Kate's Clay Club, a group of dedicated clay makers that includes students, alumnae, staff and faculty. Beyond making bowls, the workshops include information about the history of Empty Bowls, empty bowls projects across the country and other ways art and social practice are being realized in the United States. Information about Open Arms and the dietary needs of those with Aids, HIV and Cancer will also be provided.

St. Kate's Empty Bowls Soup Socials are held twice during the academic year in The Catherine G. Murphy Gallery. Soup Socials open to both the campus community and the public. Guests are served a bowl of soup and can select a bowl to keep as a reminder of those they have helped and those who are still in need.