Collection events scheduled for July 11 and July 18 at the Covington Farmers Market

COVINGTON, Ky. – Covington residents have an opportunity to contribute a piece of the city's history to a new landmark public art installation that will become part of the Covington Central Riverfront neighborhood. 

Community collection events for the public art installation, CAIRN, will be held during the Covington Farmers Market on July 11 and July 18. The Covington Farmers Market, located at 629 Washington St, is open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Residents are invited to donate small pieces of masonry, stone, brick, concrete, glass, or other cementitious materials that hold personal significance and can become part of the artwork. 

The artist behind CAIRN will be on hand at both collection events with design samples and/or a prototype of the installation, giving residents an opportunity to learn more about the project and how their contributions will become part of the finished piece. 

As a special thank you, the first 100 participants to contribute materials will receive a free CAIRN T-shirt featuring a custom design inspired by the artwork. 

A brick paver from a grandparent's garden, a stone collected from a family home, a piece of concrete saved from a renovation project, or a fragment of masonry connected to a meaningful place can all become part of CAIRN. By incorporating these community-sourced materials, the sculpture will serve not only as a landmark for the new riverfront but also as a collective monument built from the memories and experiences of Covington residents. 

Collection Details 

What to Bring 

Small, dry, hand-carriable pieces of: 

• Brick (any type) 
• Clay materials (roof tile, terracotta, ceramic tile, pipe) 
• Lime-based materials (mortar, plaster) 
• Soft stone (limestone or sandstone) 
• Concrete block (CMU or similar) 
• Glass 

Guidelines 

• Materials should be no heavier than what one person can comfortably carry. 
• Materials should be clean and free of hazardous coatings or adhesives. 
• If possible, include a brief note explaining where the material came from or why it matters. 

The Covington Central Riverfront development will soon be home to CAIRN, a new landmark public art installation selected through a national public art competition held in 2025. The competition was led by The Carnegie, The Center for Great Neighborhoods, and ArtsWave with funding from the Carol Ann and Ralph V. Haile Jr. Foundation. 

Chosen from 25 submissions and eight finalists, the winning design by MATCOM lab was selected by a panel of arts professionals, community representatives, and City stakeholders, with public input playing an important role in the final decision. 

Inspired by the tradition of stone cairns as markers of place and collective memory, CAIRN will serve as a visual beacon for Covington's new riverfront neighborhood. The sculpture features a series of vertical pillars representing Covington's 19 neighborhoods, stacked and grouped to symbolize the city's layered history, diverse communities, and shared future. 

The artwork incorporates cast concrete, brick, limestone, and salvaged materials from the former IRS site, connecting the new neighborhood to the history of the land on which it is being built. 

The sculpture will be installed within the Covington Central Riverfront development, a 23-acre mixed-use neighborhood transforming the former IRS site into a vibrant district of homes, businesses, parks, and public gathering spaces.