Cuomo announces ‘NY PopsUp,’ 300 concerts and performances

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) announced a series of 300 pop-up events, many of which are being offered for free, across the state on Monday to help “revitalize New York audiences and bring the struggling live entertainment sector roaring back to life.”

Cuomo’s office said in a statement that the statewide festival will take place over 100 days, including in all five of New York City’s boroughs. As live concerts are still largely discouraged due to the pandemic, the events will meet New Yorkers “where they are,” taking place in “courtyards, workplaces, parks, and street corners” as well as at well-known New York landmarks.

Celebrities who will be participating in the events include Hugh Jackman, Alec Baldwin, Chris Rock, Sarah Jessica Parker and Billy Porter.

“Cities have taken a real blow during COVID, and the economy will not come back fast enough on its own – we must bring it back,” Cuomo said in the statement.

“Creative synergies are vital for cities to survive, and our arts and cultural industries have been shut down all across the country, taking a terrible toll on workers and the economy,” the governor added. “We want to be aggressive with reopening the State and getting our economy back on track, and NY PopsUp will be an important bridge to the broader reopening of our world-class performance venues and institutions.”

Other events planned include a performance by Patti Smith at the Brooklyn Museum, a tribute to the staff at the Rochester Institute of Technology as well as a performance at the Javits Center in a tribute to health care workers.

Cuomo also indicated on Monday that the state would be looking into ways for the ailing New York theater industry and large venues to reopen for business, CNBC reports. New York will seek to reopen entertainment venues through the use of extensive coronavirus testing.

New York ran a “pilot” for live events in January by allowing 6,700 fans to attend a Buffalo Bills game.

Attendants to the event were required to obtain a negative coronavirus test before the game, wear masks and practice social distancing during the game. Afterwards, contact tracing was used to lower the spread of new infections.

The Buffalo Bills game was later deemed a success and paved the way for restaurants to partially reopen beginning on Feb. 14.