New York will allow limited-capacity performances to resume next month, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo said in a press conference today. As The New York Times reports, event venues can reopen on 4/2 at 33% capacity, with a limit of 100 people indoors or 200 people outdoors, provided that all attendees wear masks and are socially distanced. (If venues have the capabilities to test all attendees, those limits increase to 150 people/500 people.)
While larger performance spaces like Lincoln Center, the Apollo Theater, and the newly-opened the Shed are already planning to hold events next month, for smaller music venues it might not be feasible to operate at such a reduced capacity. Bowery Ballroom and Mercury Lounge owner Michael Swier told the Times that, due to the social distancing requirements, actual capacity at those spaces might be much lower.
In nearby New Jersey, Governor Phil Murphy recently announced that the state will begin allowing limited crowds at venues with over a 5,000-person capacity. New York is also opening up its arenas and stadiums for ticketed events.
