New York State Council on the Arts
300 Park Avenue South, 10th Floor
New York, New York 10010
 
212-459-8800
www.arts.ny.gov
 
Contact: Ronni Reich
212-459-8859
ronni.reich@arts.ny.gov
September 02, 2020

NEW YORK STATE COUNCIL ON THE ARTS ANNOUNCES ARTS VENUES REOPENING ACROSS NEW YORK STATE

Cultural Organizations in All 10 Regions Ready to Welcome Patrons Safely

All Venues Will Operate at 25 Percent Capacity; Visitors Are Required to Wear Masks and Practice Social Distancing

 

The New York State Council on the Arts today announced that, following five months of closures, arts and cultural organizations across New York State are reopening, using the guidance outlined by Governor Andrew M. Cuomo’s New York Forward reopening plan. With new safety protocols in place, many of the state’s most treasured museums, sculpture parks, historic sites, and outdoor arts experiences are now welcoming audiences back. These openings mark a turning point for New York’s cultural sector, which promotes tourism, supports local businesses, and provides communities critical opportunities for creative engagement, healing, and unity. All venues will operate at 25 percent capacity, with visitors required to wear masks and practice social distancing.   
 

Executive Director, New York State Council on the Arts Mara Manus said,  "After showing great resiliency and immense ingenuity since shutting their doors and moving programming online, it’s thrilling to see many of New York’s arts and culture organizations begin to safely reopen and welcome back patrons. The arts play a critical role in all our communities across the state, providing educational, civic, and economic opportunities for millions of New Yorkers. We encourage the public to support the arts in-person, where possible, as we all work together to ensure the health and vitality of these institutions for generations to come.”  

NYSCA Chair and New York State Tourism Advisory Council member Katherine Nicholls said, “The New York State Council on the Arts provides vital sustaining support and funding to over 2,400 nonprofit organizations and artists annually, allowing them to create innovative programs that serve their communities’ evolving needs. As NYSCA grantees return to in-person programming, the agency affirms the essential role of the arts and its devotion to promoting creativity statewide. We encourage all New Yorkers to take advantage of the wealth of opportunities across the state.”   

New York State Executive Director of Tourism Ross D. Levi said, "New York has always been a leader in arts and culture--from movements like the Hudson River School of Art to events like the Woodstock Music and Art Fair--and we are proud of our countless attractions that speak to the state's rich cultural history and creativity. Whether your plans include visiting our arts and cultural institutions virtually or safely in-person as they reopen, you will always find what you love in New York State."  

To support its grantees and provide the public with up-to-date information, NYSCA has created a dedicated page on its website featuring cultural organizations that have reopened or announced reopening dates, organized by region. NYSCA also partners with I LOVE NY to offer an arts events calendar and provides listings of digital arts programs for audiences to access New York arts and culture at their fingertips.    

As New York City museums have recently been approved to reopen, more than 150 arts organizations supported by NYSCA have opened their doors for public programs or announced opening dates. A full list is included below, and additional details are available here.   

With the support of Governor Cuomo and the New York State Legislature, NYSCA awarded $43.8 million to over 2,400 grantees statewide in Fiscal Year 2020. NYSCA recently awarded an additional $532,000 in federal CARES Act funding through the National Endowment for the Arts to provide COVID-19 relief to 91 artists and organizations impacted by the pandemic.   

Over the past few months, NYSCA has also expanded its role as a resource to the field through new initiatives such as the NYSCA PRESENTS webinar series, which has drawn thousands of viewers from all regions of the state. The series offers information about critical arts topics during and beyond COVID-19, as well as expanded resource pages including reopening and recovery guidance, information about relief funds, and information about creating digital programs.  

  

Arts and Cultural Organizations Re-Opening by Region:  

Capital Region   


Central New York  

Finger Lakes  

Long Island  

Mid-Hudson  

Mohawk Valley  

New York City  

North Country  

Southern Tier  

Western New York  
###
Copyright © 2024 New York State. All rights reserved. | Our Privacy Policy