Long after the soup bowls are empty, one local idea is just getting warmed up.

Sunday Soup, started in Phoenixville by Emma Peabody, is an international project that uses local money to fund local creative projects.

“We hopefully fund creativity and also bring more to us here in Phoenixville,” Peabody told a full house at a recent Sunday Soup event.

Markels Roberts, owner of Diving Cat Studio and Gallery at 246 Bridge St., jumped in and got involved.

“Emma came and presented the idea for this, and I was happy to give the space,” Roberts said.

The idea is simple. First comes soup, from a local vendor. In Phoenixville’s version of Sunday Soup, the dish is served in handcrafted bowls with dazzling gold-colored spoons. At a recent Sunday Soup, Cucina Verde provided a soup featuring kale, along with carrot asparagus soup.

During the dinner portion, attendees chat and get to know one another. Then, a presenter provides a rundown of his or her idea, and everyone at the soup pitches in a few bucks to help support the cause.

The projects funded can vary, but they all must be done at least one time in Phoenixville. At a recent soup, local artist Victoria O’Neill gave a very colorful presentation. O’Neill received $225 from the crowd to present her interactive children’s show, “Come Join the Rainbow,” to groups of youngsters at Phoenixville Public Library.  

Kids will be split into groups and will don tiny colorful costumes carefully sewn by O’Neill. Each color has a prop to go with it—also created by O’Neill. The interactive story promotes diversity and understanding.

“This is a fascinating, fascinating idea,” said attendee Mary Foote of Sunday Soup.

As the idea just got going a few months ago in the borough, some kinks are still being worked out. Peabody explained that at the beginning, the Sunday Soup had a more competitive flair—multiple presenters vied for the monetary reward. One resulted in a tie, and the presenters had the option of splitting the funding, though one (O’Neill) gave her share to the other winner.

Now, the process has gotten more refined. Proposals for creative projects will be reviewed at the previous soup, and then one will be presented—and funded—at the next gathering.

For the July Sunday Soup, which will be held July 31, submissions will be accepted on July 1, and a small committee will choose the one project that will be presented at the dinner. 

If you’re interested in having a project considered for Sunday Soup funding, find out more on the Sunday Soup-Phoenixville Facebook page. For more information on the concept as a whole, see the Sunday Soup website.