Creighton University students create bowls for the 20th celebration of the Empty Bowls Project.

Creighton University’s Empty Bowls project — launched two decades ago as a small ceramics initiative — continues to blend creativity with community service as it prepares for its 20th anniversary celebration. 

The project is led by Amy Nelson, a Creighton art professor who helped transform Empty Bowls into a formal senior ceramics course in 2011. Since then, more than 300 students have taken the class, each contributing handmade bowls to support the Siena Francis House. 

The anniversary celebration will take place Dec. 2, from 4 to 8 p.m., and Dec. 3, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Creighton Lied Art Center. 

Students enrolled in the course are required to create 25 bowls each, complete service work at the Siena Francis House, and participate in workshops with the Miracles Addiction Recovery Program. The course also includes small art workshops and at least six hours of additional volunteer work. 

During a recent visit to Nelson’s ceramics studio, students reflected on the impact the class has had on them. 

“I’ve learned a lot about service and how art can play a meaningful part of the journey,” Tyler Christensen, a senior for the College of Arts and Sciences, said. Christensen has already completed his 25 required bowls and plans to make more before the semester ends. 

Another College of Arts and Science senior, Nia Gathers, said volunteering through the course has shifted her perspective. 

“Life is hard,” Gathers said. “Volunteering at Siena Francis House has helped me to see humanity in people. Their life struggles are not who they are.” 

In preparation for the anniversary, organizers are planning a ticketed preview event featuring early access to the hand-crafted bowls. The annual sale will follow at the Lied Art Center, continuing the project’s long-standing tradition of using art to support the community. 

Nelson is also exploring a collaboration with the Theatre for Social Justice class to host a dinner theatre event in mid-November 2026, blending performance and service in a new way. 

What began as a class assignment has evolved into a biennial fundraiser that has raised thousands of dollars for charity. All proceeds benefit the Siena Francis House. 

“The new goal for the 20th anniversary is to raise $20,000,” Nelson said. 

The celebration aims to showcase students’ artwork while reinforcing Creighton’s commitment to service learning, Jesuit values and community engagement.