CowParade SLO seeks high school artists
101 fiberglass cows will be decorated, auctioned off 
–CowParade SLO County wants creative high school students to “join the herd” and participate in the world-wide public art event.
While local artists are being chosen to decorate the life-sized fiberglass cows, CowParade SLO is reaching out to each of the county’s high schools to paint “mini-moos” – Labrador-sized cows that will benefit art programs at the schools. CowParade SLO will donate blank sculptures to each school that wants to participate.
Art departments and their students will have two cow templates to choose from – one grazing and another standing with its head up. High schools will have until September to create their bovine for CowParade SLO. During the May gala, the cows will be auctioned off, and the proceeds from student-designed cows will benefit each school’s arts program.
By fall 101 fiberglass cows transformed by local artists will be seen “grazing” in public places throughout San Luis Obispo County. Sponsored by local businesses and individuals, the herd will be seen by an estimated 500,000 people before the entire stock is sent to a gala auction in May, 2017.
After the first CowParade launched in Chicago in 1999, CowParade events have been held in 79 cities worldwide, including London, Tokyo, Mexico City and Milan. Now the “colorful cattle drive” has been led to San Luis Obispo County, raising money for ARTs Obispo, the Land Conservancy of San Luis Obispo County and The California Mid-State Fair Heritage Foundation.
Interested SLO County high schools should contact Tom Halen at [email protected]. Check out more about CowParade SLO at http://www.cowparadeslo.com.
