Making art to feed the hungry: Hub City Empty Bowls 2016
Hub City Empty Bowls is gearing up for Soup Day, its annual arts-based fundraiser to feed hungry people in Spartanburg County. Each year, the public is invited to make the hand-crafted pottery bowls that are featured on Soup Day. Three bowl-making events are scheduled:
- Saturday, July 16, 10 a.m.-noon and 1-3 p.m. in Spartanburg Art Museum’s studios at Chapman Cultural Center
- Thursday, July 21, 6-8:30 p.m. at West Main Artists Co-Op
- Saturday, Aug. 27, 10 a.m.-noon and 1-3 p.m. in Spartanburg Art Museum’s studios at Chapman Cultural Center.
These free, family-friendly events provide the experience of working with clay at any level of experience, including no experience. The clay, facilities, and instruction are all donated. Members of Carolina Clay Artists and volunteers will be on hand to instruct participants in bowl-making techniques.
“People look forward to our bowl-making events every year,” said Nancy Williamson, publicity leader for Carolina Clay Artists. “I see some of the same faces and families come back each year. It’s fun, easy, creative, free, and, of course, it is for a good cause. I am truly amazed at some of the raw talent I see. Even more amazing is to see all the finished bowls laid out on Soup Day for the public to take home. It’s almost like an art exhibit – a huge art exhibit with every color of the rainbow and shape imaginable.”
Soup Day takes place Oct. 15 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Chapman Cultural Center. For every $15 donation, a donor gets to keep a bowl of his or her choice and enjoy a simple meal of soup, bread, and tea. Patrons can enjoy soup donated by some of the best restaurants in Spartanburg, listen to live music and share in the fellowship of helping to feed local citizens. A silent auction of donated items and a drum circle are part of the event. TOTAL Ministries will receive the proceeds to help feed the needy in Spartanburg County. Last year’s campaign allowed Hub City Empty Bowls to make an all-time high donation of $26,000 to TOTAL Ministries.
Empty Bowls was started by a high school teacher in Michigan in 1990 as a student project to help feed the needy and has grown into an international phenomenon. There are hundreds of Empty Bowls projects around the world, raising millions of dollars to feed the hungry. Each Empty Bowls organization is independent and self-governed. 2016 marks the eighth year that Carolina Clay Artists has spearheaded the Spartanburg effort.
Thus far, this year’s sponsors are Spartanburg Regional Foundation Healing Arts Fund, Carolina Clay Artists, West Main Artists Co-Op, Action Printing, Milliken & Company, Wheresville Productions, Chapman Cultural Center, Spartanburg Art Museum, and Chris Williams. The project is seeking more sponsors: companies and individuals willing to donate funds; restaurants to donate soup, bread, and tea; other businesses to donate eating utensils; individuals and businesses to donate silent auction items; and potters to make the bowls. Those willing to donate should contact Traci Kennedy at Director@TotalMinistries.org or (864) 585-9167. For more information about TOTAL Ministries, visit TotalMinistries.org.
Hub City Empty Bowls, a component fund of the Spartanburg County Foundation, was established to increase awareness about the issues of hunger and food insecurity and to help local organizations fight hunger. For more information, visit HubCityEmptyBowls.com or Hub City Empty Bowls on Facebook.
Via: Hub City Empty Bowls