The independent hotel chain ARTEH - Hotels and Resorts presents a unique selection of hotels in Lisbon like the Aviz, Bairro Alto Hotel, Britania, Janelas Verdes, Lisboa Plazza, Palácio Belmonte, Solar do Castelo and York House where to stay when visiting the World's Largest Public Art Event - The Cow Parade.
To make your reservation and/or to visit the Hotels please go to:
http://www.arteh-hotels.com .
About Cow Parade
For Art, For Charity, For Fun
Cow Parade is the world's largest public art event. From Chicago and New York in 1999 and 2000 to Kansas City and Houston in 2001 and London in 2002, Cow Parade continues to evolve, not just in size, but in creativity and quality of art. While the cow sculptures remains 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.
Cow Parade is not meant to be high art; however it is first and foremost a public art exhibit that is accessible to everyone.
Most important, Cow Parade 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.
The Chicago auction raised an amazing $3,000,000.00 for charity, including $1.4 million on-line and $2.1 million at the live auction assisted by Sotheby's. The average bid price on the 140 cows was nearly $25,000, with the top cow, Handsome, selling for $110,000. Cow Parade New York 2000 Charity Auction raised an equally impressive $1,351,000.00 benefiting several New York City charities. The highest winning bid was $ 60,000, for Tiffany Cow. The average bid was $ 18,257.
CowParade.com is your virtual 'moo-seum' for all of the Cow Parades, past, present and future. Enjoy!
'Art is about breaking down barriers. It gets people to feel, to think, to react. So when you come across life-sized cow sculptures that have been covered in mirrors or gumdrops, cows that have been painted with elaborate themes or transformed into something else entirely, you can't help but stop and think about what it means. All your preconceived ideas go out the window. Suddenly people see that art can be fun and that art can be interesting to everyone, not just people who frequent museums.'
Peter Hanig - Cow Parade Event Organizer
Cow Parade History
1998
The first Cow Parade in Zurich. Over one million tourists from all over Europe. Retail sales grew by 30%. The event was such an overwhelming success that soon afterwards similar events started to be held in the world's largest cities.
1999
According to Chicago Mayor Richard Daly, Cow Parade «has become the biggest and the most successful cultural event in the history of Chicago». The Chicago Tourist Committee stated that Cow Parade had attracted over 3 million tourists and brought over $50 million of extra revenue to the city treasury.
2000
New York Mayor Rudolf Juliani declared Cow Parade to be a part of the millennium celebrations. Cow Parade was visited by over 44 million people. The auction in New York raised over $1,3 million for charity.
2001
400 cows were exhibited to the people of Texas. President George Bush Senior invented his own cow design, signed it and put it up for auction. This auction and an Internet auction in Houston generated $1,1 million.
2002
Elizabeth II, Queen of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, ordered a Jubilee Cow for Buckingham Palace. Cow Parade was ceremonially opened in Trafalgar Square. Over 1.100 artists contributed to the event. The success of Cow Parade was discussed in both Houses of the Parliament. Representatives of the House of Lords became sponsors of the event. Elton John and Ringo Starr were among celebrity cow-collectors.
2003
The Japanese welcomed Cow Parade with delight. The Emperor of Japan became a collector too.
2004
Cow Parade was ceremonially opened by former Czech President Vazlav Gavel. The cow he made to his own design was sold at auction for a record price.
About Cow Parade Lisbon 2006
The capital city of Portugal - Lisbon, is getting ready to receive, for the first and only time, the biggest art public event: Cow Parade Lisbon 2006; a spectacle that will contribute to illuminate the hearts of residents and visitors.
Cow Parade organizers in Portugal are preparing a herd of fibreglass cows in natural size over which local artists will paint and project their artistic design. Cows will later be exhibited during the months of June, July, August, September and October 2006 around the streets parks and public spaces of Lisbon. Cows will be sold in public auction by late October 2006 in benefit of MecenatoNet.
Cow Parade Lisbon 2006 will be an open air show for all publics that will make of Portugal a Real Global Window for Art and Culture during 5 month.
The cows that will be exhibited at several sites of the Portuguese capital during Cow Parade, from the 14th of May to the end of August, started being painted and decorated in 29 March at the former installations of the Lisbon Metro in Sete Rios, now turned into an enormous Art Gallery.
At the «Live Painting Studio», artists from different zones of Portugal are decorating 74 of the 100 selected cows in a «show» open to the public from Tuesday to Sunday, between 3 and 10 pm.
Besides the cows being painted here, another 12 are being ornamented at 12 Commercial Centres across the country and one at the Prison of Aveiro. Another 11 will be painted by the chosen artists at their own studios.
To «democratize art and bring it closer to the public» is one of the Cow Parade's aims, according to the organizers of the event, which will be displaying specimens with names such as Chococow, Portuguese Cow, Portucow or Cow-Mões (an allusion to the Portuguese poet Camões), among many others.
About The Hotels
Hotel Aviz
Well in the centre of Lisbon, the new Hotel Aviz maintains the spirit of the Picoas Palace that had once been its home and symbolised the romantic 1940s Lisbon. Kings, movie actors, spies and the cream of society at the time all came through this hotel due to its reputation of having the most luxurious service and the best restaurant.
Bairro Alto Hotel
With its eyes set on Luís de Camões Square and very close to the São Carlos National Theatre in Lisbon the luxurious and cosmopolitan Bairro Alto Hotel is implanted into the former Grand Hotel de l' Europe, where many renowned European artists stayed during the 19th and 20th centuries.
Hotel Britania
The Hotel Britania can be found in a 1940's building designed by Cassiano Branco, renowned contemporary architect. The set of many stories, of heated conversations between the intellectuals and artists of the time, and of war time conspiracies featuring diplomats and spies, this hotel is worthy of your stay.
Janelas Verdes
Next to the Ancient Art Museum, in the historical and romantic Rua das Janelas Verdes, there is an austere and discreet stately house, dating from the 18th century, to behold. This is a house where one wants to discover every detail, feel its romantic and welcoming atmosphere and relive the stories of a past Lisbon.
Lisboa Plaza
Located next to the cosmopolitan Avenida da Liberdade, its eyes set on the botanical gardens, is the classical Hotel Lisboa Plaza, an icon of hospitality and heritage in the city of Lisbon.
Palácio Belmonte
Lisbon's most ancient palace, the Palácio Belmonte, is set in the historical city centre on the hill of the São Jorge Castle. The Palace was built in 1449, incorporating three towers, on a forty metre boulder over the most ancient moor and roman walls in the city. In 1640, the construction of a terrace and five classical façades served to augment the palace.
Solar do Castelo
At the top of the city of Lisbon, within the walls of the São Jorge Castle, the noble Solar do Castelo was born, fruit of the refurbishment of the Palace of Kitchens, built in the second half of the 18th century on the grounds of the ancient Royal Kitchens.
York House
By the Tagus River, in the centre of Lisbon and receiving guests for over a hundred years, the York House resulted from the adaptation of the early 17th century Marianos Convent.
About Arteh(R)
Best Independent Hotel Chain - Publituris Awards 2004
ARTEH(R) - Hotels and Resorts is a soft brand independent Hotel Chain with a Luxury Collection of Charming & Exclusive Boutique Hotels and Resorts, with Golf and Spa. Focusing on Marketing, Promotion and eDistribution, Arteh(R) has available for its Guests Online Reservations, Promotions, Packages and Press Releases.
An Arteh(R) Hotel distinguishes itself by the Richness of its Heritage, the Beauty of its Setting, the Splendour of its Architecture, the Design of its Decor, the Comfort of its Rooms and the Care for its Guests.
For further information on ARTEH(R) - Hotels and Resorts please visit http://www.arteh-hotels.com/.
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