WEST VILLAGE — Artists are being asked to design a memorial to LGBT victims of hate, intolerance and violence.
Governor Andrew Cuomo announced $800,000 for the memorial after the mass shooting at a gay dance club in Orlando, Florida, earlier this year. It will also pay tribute to New Yorkers who have fought for equal rights, Cuomo said.
"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," Cuomo said in a statement.
On Thursday, the governor called on "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 state will accept applications from all artists, according to a spokeswoman for the governor's office, not just those based in New York.
The memorial will be built in Hudson River Park between Bethune Street and West 12th Street in the West Village.
Details of the governor's request for proposals are posted online and submissions are due by Nov. 21.
Applications will be reviewed by the LGBT Memorial Commission that the governor convened.
Its members include an array of New York-based activists such as transgender campaigner Melissa Sklarz and former New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, as well as leaders of advocacy groups such as the LGBT Center and the Stonewall Democrats.
The commission will recommend artists to the governor who will make a final selection in December.