CowParade is the world’s largest public art event.

Life-size cows, made of fibreglass, are sponsored by businesses, painted and decorated by artists, then displayed on the city’s streets to create a free, fun and interactive art event, unlike any other public art exhibition before. CowParade is not meant to be high art, however. It is first and foremost a public art exhibit that is accessible to everyone.

From April to June 2007, CowParade is set in Milan, managed by leading agencies Media Partners, Mediamakers and Club Lombardia.

H-care sponsors the event with ADA, the Animal Digital Assistant. ADA is the alter ego in the animal world of the Human Digital Assistant. ADA is “in the mood for helping”: placed to departures of Linate Airport (Milan), it sends through bluetooth useful information to passengers leaving. ADA hits off the most advanced technology of virtual assistance, the Human Digital Assistant: able to manage simultaneously thousands of customer interactions and to interact with customers dynamically to help them provide explanations, solve problems and find information on web, kiosks and mobiles.

CowParade ultimately benefits charity. At the conclusion of each event, the cows are herded up and many are auctioned, with a substantial portion of the proceeds benefiting charity. So far, over £9 million has been raised by CowParade around the world.

From Chicago and New York in 1999 and 2000 to Kansas City and Houston in 2001 and London in 2002, CowParade continues to evolve, not just in size, but in creativity and quality of art. While the cow sculptures remain the same, each city’s artists are challenged by the art from past events, inspired by the cultural influences of their respective cities, and moved by their own interpretation of the cow as an art object.