New York City recently announced the initiation of the design process for the Chinatown Welcome Gateway, calling for artists to design the welcoming gateway of Chinatown. The deadline for submissions is June 15, 2025, and the selected artists will be announced later this summer.
This week, the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) and the Department of Cultural Affairs (DCLA) officially launched the call for artists through the Percent for Art program to participate in designing the Chinatown Welcome Gateway, a part of the “Chinatown Connections” project. The selected artists will collaborate with the design team in the initial stages of the project to ensure that the gateway design aligns with the overall project concept.
The “Chinatown Connections” project, with a total investment of $56 million, is led by the NYCEDC in collaboration with the Department of Transportation and state agencies, with Marvel Architects commissioned for the design. A portion of the funding, $2.5 million, for the design and installation of the gateway is provided by the state government, while the total budget is estimated to be $5 million, depending on fundraising results. According to a recent overview released by the NYCEDC, the gateway will be situated in the newly expanded Liu Guoliang Plaza alongside the Memorial Arch for Chinese American Veterans and the statue of Lin Zexu.
The official call for artists to design the Chinatown Welcome Gateway is seen as a crucial step in realizing the “Chinatown Connections” project, as expressed by Andrew Kimball, President, and CEO of the NYCEDC. He thanked the community for their support and state agencies for their funding, emphasizing the significance of this process in creating a culturally symbolic entrance landmark for Chinatown.
Laurie Cumbo, Commissioner of the DCLA, stated that the future welcome gateway will become a symbol of the Chinatown community, welcoming visitors while also instilling pride in residents.
Yating Liu, Chief Public Spaces Officer of the City Hall, commented, “The call for artists demonstrates our commitment to public spaces dedicated to celebrating the diverse character of New York City neighborhoods. We are honored to collaborate with the Chinatown community in advancing this long-envisioned project.”
Ydanis Rodriguez, Commissioner of the Department of Transportation, expressed that this public call for artists will help materialize the Chinatown Welcome Gateway and showcases the city’s commitment to promoting equitable streets and inviting public spaces.
The design for the Chinatown gateway has involved multiple community organizations in numerous feedback collection activities and collaborations with local artists and leaders to create the “Chinatown Welcome Gateway Design Brief.” The city government looks forward to continuing the community engagement principles in this call for submissions to ensure that the artwork reflects the community’s sentiments and cultural spirit.
For more information on the “Chinatown Connections” project and the requirements for artists’ submissions, please visit: [https://tinyurl.com/mv2dndmu](https://tinyurl.com/mv2dndmu)