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CowParade San Antonio is back for the first time in over 20 years. More than 70 large, colorfully painted cow sculptures designed by local artists will be on display and interchanged at more than 15 locations like the Pearl, The Alamo and North Star Mall from now through August.
The citywide event has a goal to raise $1 million for Christus Children’s Foundation through selling individual cows as sponsorships and the live auctioning of the remaining cows on Sept. 25. A cow scavenger hunt is also underway, where anyone can share pictures with seven different cows to enter to win a gift pack giveaway.
Josh Rendon, the vice president of the foundation, said the Christus Children’s Hospitals have seen an increase of patients recently, and the CowParade initiative will help the foundation’s ability to provide for their patients and their families.
“We as a hospital and as a foundation are needed more than ever,” Rendon said. “[The CowParade] is the perfect collaboration with several different areas within the town to make a difference to these families.”
From support from businesses and local artists to the excitement on social media with the scavenger hunt, the positive response from the community has been inspiring to Rendon.
“The plethora of organizations that have agreed to commit to this and give back to not just the hospital, but the community at large is just inspiring,” Rendon said. “With our initiative at the foundation to support this community, it really is eye opening to see the investment that these businesses have.”
Rendon said since CowParade is a third-party organization, there are no official plans for the event to return in the near future, so the foundation is trying to make the most of the limited time initiative to impact the hospital and the children they serve.
“What we really strive to do as a hospital is make sure that we’re caring for the local community,” Rendon said. “Our biggest initiative is to provide lifesaving care, so families don’t have to leave San Antonio. And who better to help us in that mission than the local artists?”
Jennifer Siciliano is one of the many artists that designed a cow. She said because she grew up in the San Antonio area and was in a neonatal intensive care unit after she was born, being a part of CowParade felt personal.
“To be a part of something and raising money for something that's slightly personal, but also just an incredible cause, really made me want to put my foot in the door,” Siciliano said.
Her cow at Hemisfair, titled “Cow-lavera de Azucar,” resembles a traditional sugar skull to represent Día de los Muertos celebrations. She said it was surreal to see a sculpture she spent at least 150 hours on in a public space.
“Seeing [the cow] next to such an icon of San Antonio, and seeing also the public interact with it, people coming out, or just passing by and coming up to see it and taking photos, that really meant a lot,” Siciliano said.
Marcy Rossi, another artist who designed a cow for the art event, said rather than being on a wall in someone’s home, public art reaches and inspires more people. Her cow, titled “Clowdia,” is also in Hemisfair and is decorated with paper confetti, monarch butterflies and clouds.
“It’s very cool to see people interact with it,” Rossi said. “Because I spent so much time with it or because these pieces have so much meaning to me, it’s like [people are] connecting with my soul really.”
Rossi said she hopes that the CowParade returns and is confident that even more artists would participate in the future.
“It’s pretty amazing that we have 70 artists and I know more people would do it if it comes back again. I’m sure we could probably get 150 or more artists doing it,” Rossi said. “I have a lot of artist followers, and them seeing me do this, usually the response is ‘Oh, I want to do that.’”
Rossi said she likes working with nonprofits and has done so multiple times because she loves being able to get out into the community and benefit various organizations.
“There’s more benefit than just making art in a studio,” Rossi said. “It brings us all together, realizing that we can have an impact.”
Contest rules and a full map of cow locations are available here.
