Remember over 20 years ago when painted cows took over the city? Because we do. And the organization that originally presented them, God's Love We Deliver, has offered a preview of the event's return this fall!
The CowParade 2021 will feature a diverse cast of artists, ranging from contemporary to graffiti stylings, to eclectic designers, celebrity supporters, and more.
After the closing of the event, each of the cows will be auctioned, with proceeds benefitting God's Love We Deliver, which is dedicated to cooking & home-delivering nutritious, medically-tailored meals for people too sick to shop or cook themselves.
So upon the glorious return of this iconic NYC initiative, we ask that you please do have a cow, man.
The Udderly Fabulous CowParade Stampedes BK
These are cows for a cause.
CowParade, an international public art exhibit for charity, is hosting its 100th event in Brooklyn at Industry City.
Starting August 18, the cow sculptures will be ‘pasturing’ in all five boroughs until September 30, when they will be auctioned off for a greater cause.
Proceeds from the auction will benefit God’s Love We Deliver, a New York City non-profit that cooks and home-delivers nutritious, medically tailored meals for people too sick to shop or cook for themselves.
Each fiberglass cow sculpture is customized and decorated by an acclaimed array of artists, from contemporary art icons and well-known graffiti artists to eclectic designers and celebrity supporters.
This roster includes Lizzie Tisch, Neil Patrick Harris and David Burtka, Peter Tunney, Billy the Artist, Daze, Dapper Dan of Harlem, Hektad, Cey Adams, Amy Denet Deal, and many more.
“The participating artists pour their hearts and souls into their cow masterpieces to inspire, awe and, most importantly, bring smiles to the faces of those who encounter the cows,” Ron Fox, vice president of CowParade, said.
“The dedicated team of event professionals at God’s Love has brought together the most diverse group of artists in our 21-year history.”
Karen Pearl, president and CEO of God’s Love We Deliver, said the funds from the auction would be especially vital after their clientele base increased by a record 30% due to the pandemic.
“COVID, of course, was its own challenge,” Pearl said. “The money from this fundraiser will go toward feeding our clients. We are really working hard to find everybody who qualifies for this program.”
With the help of chefs, nutritionists, dieticians and 17,000 volunteers, God’s Love We Deliver serves 500,000 medically-tailored meals a year to people with over 200 different diagnoses; 22% of God’s Love We Deliver’s clientele are in Brooklyn.
This event commemorates a full-circle moment for God’s Love We Deliver, as the nonprofit served as one of several beneficiaries from the first NYC CowParade event in 2000.
God’s Love We Deliver started in 1986 in NYC in response to the AIDS epidemic and, since then, has grown to nourish clientele with over 200 different diagnoses.
So, why cows?
“They are kind of universal,” Pearl said. “Think about when you were little — one of the first things that kids ever learn is that a cow says ‘moo.'”
That, and they make a great canvas for artists, according to Fox. CowParade, in its more than 20 years, has raised over $20 million for charities around the world.
This year’s CowParade artist studio is sponsored by CLEAR, with additional sponsors including Benjamin Moore; Amazing Mets Foundation and Baccarat.
Additional locations include Hudson Yards in Manhattan, Bronx Community Community College in the Bronx, New York Hall of Science Museum in Queens and the National Lighthouse Museum in Staten Island.
Until August 18, all 78 cows are grazing at Industry City and can be visited by the public.
What's News Breaking
COWPARADE AND NYC CHARITY SHARE BOND: God's Love We Deliver, a major non-profit that makes and delivers meals to seriously ill persons, will be the exclusive charity partner staging the 100th global edition of the iconic CowParade, which returns to New York City from August 18 through September 30. This year's CowParade event commemorates a full-circle moment for God's Love We Deliver, which benefited from the first such NYC event in 2000. Starting August 18, cows will be on display across the five boroughs of New York City in various "pasture" locations, including Industry City in Brooklyn's Sunset Park/waterfront neighborhood, which was set to host a special kickoff event last night to thank artists and God's Love volunteers and supporters.
CowParade events have been staged in 80+ cities worldwide, including 34 countries, with more than 6,000 life size fiberglass cows painted and imaginatively transformed by many thousands of global artists, sculptors, and celebrities. God's Love We Deliver and CowParade were connected by Janeen Saltman, a principal of JKS Events, which had been working with Jerry Elbaum on the return of CowParade to New York.
Cow Parade returning to NYC after more than 20 years
The CowParade public art exhibit is back in New York City after more than 20 years, and on Thursday, non-profit God's Love We Deliver offered a preview of the event.
The 2021 CowParade will include a diverse array of participating artists, from contemporary art icons to well-known Wynwood graffiti artists to eclectic designers and celebrity supporters.
God's Love We Deliver, a medically-tailored Meal delivery program for homebound New Yorkers who are living with illness, is the exclusive charity partner of the upcoming 100th global event, to be held in New York City from August 18 through September 30.
Participants include Lizzie Tisch, Cynthia Erivo, Neil Patrick Harris and David Burtka, Peter Tunney, Billy the Artist, Daze, Crash, Cey Adams, Amy Denet Deal, and more.
CowParade events have been staged in more than 80 cities worldwide with more than 6,000 life size fiberglass cows painted and imaginatively transformed by many thousands of global artists, sculptors and celebrities.
The preview marked the only time when nearly all 78 of the cows were in the same location, before they are sent to various public "pasture" locations across the five boroughs on August 18.
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Mooove over. These colorful cows are coming back to NYC.
NEW YORK — “Billy the Artist” is working on a piece he calls “Moo York Summer Celebration”, which is appropriate since he is painting on a 100 pound fiberglass cow sculpture.
"People celebrating the vibrant colors, people being out, a celebration of where New York is going to be this summer, everybody coming back out," said Billy, who is one of 75 artists and designers working on their own cow for the Cow Parade.
It’s the world’s largest public art event, returning to New York City for the first time since 2000.
The cow sculptures will be placed in so-called pastures around the five boroughs from August 18 to September 30. The NYC edition in 2000 was the second Cow Parade. This is now the event’s 100th Bovine Bash.
"The cows work because they are great canvases for artists, artists love them," said Ron Fox, one of the co-founders of the Cow Parade.
After the cows are displayed, they will be auctioned off, benefitting God's Love We Deliver, the 36-year-old organization which cooks and delivers medically-tailored meals to New Yorkers with life-altering illnesses. They have been even busier during the pandemic, adding 6,000 new clients since it began.
"More and more people need help. They are home, they're isolated, they are scared to go out," said Karen Pearl, President and CEO of the SoHo-based organization.
As you would imagine, for many of the artists, this is the first time they have worked on a cow, a unique canvas for sure. A number of the artists are working in a space at Industry City in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, a temporary pasture for the cows while they await placement around town.
"I'm an abstract painter, so painting on something very three-dimensional and very real, is fun," said Melissa Staiger, another participating artist.
Artist and graphic designer Cey Adams contacted many of his friends from the Graffiti and Street Art World to be part of the project. He's a longtime supporter of God's Love.
"I never painted a cow, and I remember this campaign from twenty years ago, and I just thought it would be a lot of fun, and here I am, grazing in Industry City," Adams said.
Another well-known artist Peter Tunney is also helping to curate, and very familiar with the work of God's Love.
"If you have never been to God's Love We Deliver, and you have a chance to walk through that operation. I'll tell you what it gives me, it gives me hope," Tunney said.