CowParade Wisconsin 2006 FAQs

What is CowParade?
CowParade is the largest and most popular public art event in the world. More than 100 million people worldwide have seen the Cows. CowParade events have been staged in more than 20 cities worldwide since 1999 including Chicago (1999), New York City (2000), London (2002), Tokyo (2003), Brussels (2003), Dublin (2003), Prague (2004) and Stockholm (2004). In 2005, Barcelona, Monaco, Moscow, Bucharest and Sao Paulo are hosting events. 2006 host cities include Lisbon, Portugal, Boston, Buenos Aires, and Madison, Wisconsin!

Why Cows?
Simply, the cow is a universally beloved animal, which also happens to make a great canvas for all forms of art. The cow represents many things to many different people around the world - she's sacred, she's historical, she connects us to our past. But the common feeling is one of affection. There is something magical about the cow that transcends throughout the world, and that magic brings smiles to all of our faces.

What Happens to the Cows in each City?
Each host city starts with a herd of blank cow sculptures. The painted Cows are created by local artists and are sold at the conclusion of each event for the benefit of local non-profit organizations. More than 3000 Cows have been created since 1999 and more than 5000 artists worldwide have participated in CowParade.

Who are the Artists?
CowParade opens its events to all artists and craftsmen in the host city and region. Painters, mixed-media artists, sculptures, craftsmen, architects, and a variety of other creative individuals have all participated. While the cow sculptures remain the same, each city's artists are challenged by the creations from past events, inspired by the cultural influences and history of their city, and moved by their own interpretation of the cow as an object of art, making each event unique.

What are the Cows made of? How big are they?
The cow sculptures are made of flame-retardant fiberglass and have within them steel rebar for reinforcement. The Cows weigh approximately 125 pounds before application by the artist. For public display, the Cows are mounted to cement bases weighing approximately 400 pounds.

The Cows come in three basic positions - standing (head up), grazing (head down), reclining. The Standing Cow is 95" long x 29" wide x 57" high, the Grazing Cow is 84"(L) x 29"(W) x 48"(H), and the Reclining Cow is 88"(L) x 44"(W) x 42"(H).

Where are the Cows Displayed? Do they get Harmed?
The Cows are displayed throughout the host city. Its streets, parks, and other public places become an outdoor museum for the Cows. All of the Cows can be seen by the public, free of charge.

Too much public affection, and sometimes vandalism, does take its toll on the Cows and some need repair during or after the public display. Of course, they are brought to the Cow Hospital where certified Cow doctors wait to patch them up so they can go back “on parade. ”

What Prices do the Cows sell for at Auction?
At the conclusion of the event, the Cows are rounded up and sold at a live auction and an online auction. The average price in each city has varied. In the U.S., the average, live auction price has been approximately $7,500 per Cow. The online auction prices are generally a bit lower. In any given city, the prices have ranged from $2,000 to $40,000 per Cow. The top two cities have been Chicago and New York, which averaged approximately $20,000 and $18,000 per live-auction cow, respectively.

The highest selling Cow was Waga Moo Moo from CowParade Dublin 2003. She sold for $146,000! She is a beautiful mosaic of thousands of pieces of Waterford Crystal designed by a renowned fashion designer.

How does a Cow become a Figurine?
CowParade's line of figurines is among the top adult collectibles in the U.S. and Europe. Each figurine is an exact replica of an authentic Cow created as part of a CowParade event. There are about 200 hundred figurines in the collection, which means less than 10 percent of the Cows become figurines.

Approximately 8 to 12 Cows from each event are reproduced and become part of the collection. Sometimes it's the most whimsical and popular Cows, sometimes it's the offbeat Cows that no one expects to be reproduced. There is no system for selecting Cows for reproduction.

Who is CowParade?
CowParade is a small, privately owned company based in West Hartford, Connecticut. CowParade’s office in Sussex, England organizes its European events.