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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 2, 2025

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NYCEDC, DCLA Issue Call for Artists for Chinatown Welcome Gateway

Beginning of Design Process for Chinatown Welcome Gateway Marks Key Milestone in Chinatown Connections Project

New York, NY – This week, New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) and the New York City Department for Cultural Affairs (DCLA) through the “Percent for Art” program issued a Call for Artists to serve as a design partner for the Chinatown Welcome Gateway, part of the Chinatown Connections project. The selected artist will work alongside the project design team in the early phases of the development process to ensure their vision of Chinatown Welcome Gateway aligns with the overall project concept.

The Call for Artists to design the Chinatown Welcome Gateway marks a key milestone in the implementation of Chinatown Connections – a multifaceted, public realm improvement project that will celebrate the cultural heritage of Chinatown, improve multimodal circulation in the area, and support local economic development.

“The official ‘Call for Artists’ to design the Chinatown Welcome Gateway is a major step forward in the City’s efforts to make Chinatown Connections a reality,” said NYCEDC President & CEO Andrew Kimball. “Thanks to many hours of community engagement and funding from state partners, we are excited to begin the selection process for an artist ready to deliver a culturally rich and long overdue design emphatically defining the entrance to New York City’s Chinatown.”

“Works of public art can give our neighborhoods life and invite New Yorkers to come together and express what makes their community unique, dynamic, and a place they’re proud to call home,” said New York City Department for Cultural Affairs Commissioner Laurie Cumbo. “Manhattan’s Chinatown is one of our city’s most distinctive enclaves, where generations of immigrants have come to make their homes and, in the process, contribute to our city’s vibrant mix of communities and cultures. With the creation of the new Chinatown Welcome Gateway, this iconic NYC neighborhood will have the powerful symbol it deserves to welcome visitors and serve as hub of civic pride for residents. We look forward to finding an artist who can work with the community to bring this extraordinary vision to life.”

Alongside the redesign of Kimlau Square and the beautifying of Park Row, the design of the Chinatown Welcome Gateway will highlight the neighborhood’s cultural heritage and fulfill a longstanding community desire for an iconic symbol to demarcate a key entrance to Chinatown. Submissions to the Call for Artists will be accepted until June 15, 2025, and the selected artist will be announced later in summer 2025.

“The Chinatown Welcome Gateway is more than just an entrance—it’s a symbol that honors the rich and deep history, identity, and contribution of the Chinese diaspora in New York City,” said Chief Public Realm Officer Ya-Ting Liu. “This call for artists reflects our commitment to public spaces that celebrate New York City’s vibrant neighborhoods and diversity. We’re proud to help bring this long-envisioned project to life with and for the Chinatown community.”

“Public Art enlivens our streets and helps make our city more inviting and vibrant,” said New York City Department of Transportation (DOT) Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez. “This open call for artists will help make the Chinatown Gateway a reality and build on the city’s dedication to fostering equitable streets and welcoming public spaces through the ‘Chinatown Connections’ project.”

Led by NYCEDC, New York City Department of Transportation (NYCDOT), NYS Department of State (NYSDOS), and design team project lead Marvel, the $56 million Chinatown Connections project is financed by $44.3 million in city capital funding and $11.5 million in funding from New York State’s Downtown Revitalization Initiative Plan.

A key pillar of Chinatown Connections is robust community engagement and feedback. Over the course of the project’s development, NYCEDC has solicited feedback and guidance from a number of key community stakeholders – including the American Legion, Chinatown BID/LDC, Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association, United Overseas Fujianese Association of America, along with local leaders and artists – to craft the Chinatown Welcome Gateway Design Brief, which outline the principles, purpose, role, and impact the Welcome Gateway should ultimately embody and accomplish. The Call for Artists, issued through the City’s Percent for Art program administered by DCLA, also relies on community and stakeholder engagement to ensure the artwork reflects the attitudes of the community.