Artists from across the state and beyond are being asked to submit proposals for a “memorial art piece” to honor LGBT “victims of hate, intolerance, and violence and New York’s fight for equal rights.” (h/t DNAInfo) The finished memorial will sit in Hudson River Park, between Bethune Street and West 12th, plans show. The $800,000 commission comes in the wake of the mass shooting at Pulse Nightclub in Orlando in June.
"New York has a storied history of being at the forefront of the fight for equal rights and it is essential that we always honor the people who sought to achieve fairness for the LGBT community," Governor Andrew Cuomo said in a statement. "I invite all experienced New York artists from Buffalo to Montauk to submit their vision and help us create a monument that will serve as an enduring symbol of the sacrifice New Yorkers have played in building a fairer, more just world."
(The actual competition guidelines note that artists outside of NYC are eligible to apply, as long as they can be present for site visits, approval meetings, installation, and maintenance.)
Members of the city’s LGBT Memorial Commission will consider the all proposals, recommending finalists to the Cuomo for his final selection. Established in light of the Orlando shootings, the Commission is made up of 10 New York-based activists, among them Executive Director of the Gay Men’s Health Crisis Kelsey Louie, former City Council speaker Christine Quinn, and transgender rights activist Melissa Sklarz.
There’s not much time, though—artist applications are due November 21, and the Cuomo will announce a final decision in December.
- LGBT Memorial Competition [Governor Andrew Cuomo’s Office]
- Artists Wanted to Design New LGBT Memorial in the West Village [DNAInfo]