The New York City Department of Cultural Affairs (DCLA) is inviting members of the public to submit feedback on six artist proposals for a permanent public monument honoring jazz legend Billie Holiday at the Jamaica Performing Arts Center.
Members of the public can submit feedback on the six proposals through the end of May, with public feedback set to be considered by the Percent for Art panel in selecting the winning design later in the year.
The project aims to pay tribute to Holiday’s artistic legacy and deep ties to Queens, where she lived and performed, with a permanent monument at the Jamaica Performing Arts Center – managed by the Jamaica Center for Arts and Learning.
Born Eleanora Fagan Gough, Holiday earned renown during the 1930s, becoming one of the first black artists to break racial barriers by performing with integrated white bands. Holiday won multiple Grammy Awards and was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, while her rendition of “Strange Fruit” – a protest song against lynchings – was named Song of the Century by Time Magazine.
DCLA launched an open call for artists last year as part of efforts to permanently memorialize the jazz icon at the Jamaica Performing Arts Center, with the Percent for Art panel choosing the six finalists late in 2025.
Among the finalists are La Vaugn Belle, whose work “Still, at the Crossing” depicts Holiday emerging from the ground at the edge of a reflective pool to showcase the crossing between her pubilc and private self, and Nikesha Breeze, whose marble-carved “Lady Sings the Truth” monument honors Holiday as a working-class voice and an advocate for racial justice.
Proposal for La Vaughn Belle’s “Still, at the Crossing,” which honors Billie Holiday as a working-class hero. Photo via DCLA.
Nekisha Durrett’s “Bending the Note” reimagines Holiday as a white marble gardenia petal rising on a slender stem, while Tanda Francis’ “Blood at the Root” honors Holiday as a spiritual godmother featuring a healing pond with blood red tiles to highlight the pain that Holiday experienced and grew from throughout her life.
Proposal for “Blood at the Root” by Tanda Francis. Photo via DCLA.
“Held Within,” a proposed design by Thomas J. Price, draws inspiration from a private photograph of Holiday with her beloved dog Pepe, standing as a monument to authentic joy rather than Holiday’s artistic career. Tavares Strachan, meanwhile, aims to memorialize Holiday through the “Very Thought of You,” which is based on a historic photographic profile of the iconic jazz singer.
Proposal for “Held Within” by Thomas J. Price. Photo via DCLA.
Cultural Affairs Commissioner Diya Vij said the DCLA is “honored” to work with the local community to select a final design to memorialize Holiday.
“Billie Holiday was an artist of rare talent whose courage to face down the racial barriers of her time forged new paths for countless artists of color to follow,” Vij said in a statement. “We’re honored to work with the local community and people connected to Billie Holiday to commission this lasting tribute to her legacy in the borough she called home.”
Proposal for Nekisha Durrett’s “Bending the Note.” Photo via DCLA.
Queens Borough President Donovan Richards said Holiday’s legacy continues to inspire performers across the borough, city and state 65 years after her death, adding that it is fitting that she should be immortalized at the Jamaica Performing Arts Center.
Proposal for Tavares Strachan’s “The Very Thought of You.” Photo via DCLA.
“Of all the music titans who have called Queens home, few stand taller or shine brighter than Billie Holiday,” Richards said in a statement. “It’s only right that she be forever honored at the Jamaica Performing Arts Center, a venue she would have undoubtedly loved.”
Council Member Dr. Nantasha Williams, on the other hand, praised all artists who have submitted designs for the monument and encouraged members of the public to submit their feedback.
Proposal for Nikesha Breeze’s “Lady Sings the Truth.” Photo via DCLA.
“Billie Holiday’s voice, artistry, and impact helped shape American music and culture in ways that continue to resonate generations later. Honoring her here in Queens, where she lived, performed, and contributed to the cultural life of the borough, makes this project especially meaningful,” Williams said.