Join local artists at the Octagon, to make bowls for the 2026 Empty Bowls soup supper to be held in November. If you're interested in helping, Make a Bowl with us on Saturday, July 11. There are morning or afternoon timeslots available. The Octagon, in partnership with the Ames Community Arts Council, will provide clay, tools, a wheel, and the…
Join local artists at the Octagon, to make bowls for the 2026 Empty Bowls soup supper to be held in November. If you're interested in helping, Make a Bowl with us on Saturday, July 11. There are morning or afternoon timeslots available. The Octagon, in partnership with the Ames Community Arts Council, will provide clay, tools, a wheel, and the space to create -- all you need to do is show up and throw some bowls!
Due to limited space, we are asking potters to register in advance. You may sign up for as many time slots as you think you will need to make bowls. We do ask that if you reserve a space and your plans change, please release the time so others can fill the timeslot.
This opportunity is intended for folks who feel comfortable throwing bowls independently, as there will not be instructors available.
Potters must also commit to returning to the Octagon to trim their bowls on one of the following:
Thursday, July 16, 6 - 8 pm
Saturday, July 18, 9 am - 12 pm
The Octagon staff will glaze and fire all finished bowls.
Please reach out to Beth Weninger at education@octagonarts.org with any questions.
About the event: Empty Bowls is a global, grassroots movement that raises money for food-related charities and organizations to fight hunger. Participating artists create and donate bowls, then organizers serve a simple meal. Guests choose a bowl to keep as a reminder of all the empty bowls in the world. In addition to the pottery being provided by local artists, local restaurants and grocery stores also donate to the project.
The third annual Empty Bowls will be held Saturday, November 7 at Collegiate United Methodist Church and Wesley Foundation (2622 Lincoln Way, Ames). The Ames Community Arts Council, Creative Artists Studios of Ames, Nathan & Clay, the ISU Memorial Union Workspace, the Octagon Center for the Arts, and numerous Ames artists, along with our beneficiary organizations: Gilbert Community School’s Backpack Buddies, the ISU Students Helping Our Peers (SHOP) food pantry, and the Ames Community School District, through a central HOPE (Helping Other People Eat) Pantry at the newly renovated AMES Center, are partnering to organize an Empty Bowls event to address food insecurity for students across the community.
