New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced at a press conference today that the state’s arts, entertainment and entertainment venues will be allowed to reopen at 33% capacity from April 2, the New York Times reports. The capacity for indoor events is limited to 100 people. Outdoor events can have 200 attendees. If a venue is able to conduct COVID-19 tests on all attendees, this limit will be increased to 150 people for indoor spaces and 500 people for outdoor spaces.
The economic realities of running shows with such audience limits mean that not all venues will reopen in April, even if permitted by law. Michael Swier, owner of the Bowery Ballroom and Mercury Lounge, told The Times that social distancing requirements mean that shows taking place in these two venues are capped at around 20 percent capacity, which is unsustainable.
Revisit “What does a music festival look like during a pandemic? We’ll find out in a moment ”on the pitch.
