The Arts Council of Princeton and McCarter Theatre Center have announced “Cows in Our Town,” a new community-wide public art project created to promote awareness of local artists and McCarter’s upcoming production of Marie Jones’ Stones in His Pockets. Through a series of art installations placed in local businesses “Cows in Our Town” will run December 20 — February 11 and aims to enhance the around-town experience for visitors and Princeton residents alike through the holiday season and into the new year. 

“Cows in Our Town” (a reference to a notable creature featured in the story of Stones in his Pockets) brings together specially selected local artists who have been invited to apply their artistic interpretations to multi-density fiberboard cow-shaped cut-outs. The completed cows will be installed in popular public spaces and businesses with a small accompanying description and more information. A social media campaign will provide an added layer of interaction and engagement for fans of public art, theater, and cows.

Participating artists include Andre Veloux, Aja Washington, Sean Carney, Leon Rainbow, Libby Ramage, Piroska Toth, Ben Colbert, Marlon Davila, Donna Payton, Andres Duque, Dressler Smith, Barbara DiLorenzo, Ruthann Perry, Lisa Walsh, Leticia Acevedo, Anne Marie Miller, and others.

About this collaboration, Arts Council of Princeton Executive Director Taneshia Nash Laird said, “We are pleased to be collaborating with the McCarter team on this special project that incorporates many talented artists and local businesses, and benefits an area mental health organization. As the holidays approach, I’m excited for the community to see our town decorated with 20 colorful cows.”

Following the close of the production, the artworks will be collected and sold by the Arts Council; 50 percent of the sale will go to the artist and the remaining 50 percent will be donated to the Urban Mental Health Alliance, a local grassroots, community-based nonprofit organization that advocates for the mental health and wellness of urban families and communities, the themes of which are touched upon in the play. For more information, contact Tom Miller at tmiller@mccarter.org or (609) 258-6524.