On the 30th June 2012 the Promenade of Ostas Street in Ventspils, Latvia will be the setting for the most unusual herd of colourful cows. For the second year running Ventspils will be hosting CowParade Ventspils 2012, a popular art and fundraising event where life size fibreglass cows are given over to renowned Latvia and Baltic artists to be painted and decorated into individual works of art. These decorated cows will then be exhibited at the CowParade. After the parade the cows will be auctioned off and the proceeds given to charity. The first CowParade was held in Chicago in 1999 and the event has since taken place in more than 75 cities globally, including New York in 2000, London in 2002, Tokyo in 2003, 2006 and 2009, Mexico City in 2005, Buenos Aires, Moscow and Paris in 2006 and Rome in 2010. Ventspil held their first CowParade in 2002 and was the first Eastern European city to do so. This year the invitation to design and paint a cow has also been extended to the everyday people ofLatvia and not just restricted to artists.
“For the CowParade event Ventspils, which is a successful international competitor in the city marketing field, is positioned alongside the world’s largest cities, which all share an understanding of the importance of a comfortable, well-organized and attractive urban environment. I am delighted to see how many outstanding and talented people are involved in the CowParade Ventspils 2012 project. Painted cows on the streets and in the parks and squares of Ventspils will provide every local inhabitant and town guest with an opportunity to see a quality art in its various manifestations, while appreciating the progress in improving the city environment achieved during the years of Latvian independence,” said Aivars Lembergs, the Chairman of Ventspils City Council.
