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Dear Friends,

The Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment (MOME) is pleased to announce that New York City enters Phase 4 of reopening today. Phase 4 includes expanded media production activities, low-risk outdoor arts and entertainment, and professional sports without audiences. Indoor activity at cultural institutions, restaurants, and malls is not included at this point. Large events requiring a city events permit are canceled through September 30.

MEDIA PRODUCTION

As of this week, the Film Office is accepting permit applications for Phase 4 production activity commencing on July 27 or later. The latest Commissioner’s Directive No. 8, plain language explanation, and FAQ are available on the Film Permit website. Please check the website for updates frequently and review the guidelines and FAQ before submitting permit applications. The Film Office is operating remotely, so please allow additional time for Film Permit processing.

All production activity, whether it requires a Film Permit or not, must comply with New York Forward Industry Guidance. Media production activities involve a variety of operations (such as scouting, set construction, and hair and makeup), and owners/managers of media production businesses should comply with relevant industry-specific State Department of Health guidance where applicable. See the State Department of Health’s Interim Guidance for Media Production During the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency for more information.

LOW-RISK OUTDOOR ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

Under the New York Forward plan, low-risk outdoor arts and entertainment activities include outdoor zoos, botanical gardens, nature parks, grounds of historic sites and cultural institutions, outdoor museums, and other similar institutions and activities. Detailed information is in the State Department of Health’s Interim Guidance for Low-Risk Outdoor Arts & Entertainment During the Covid-19 Public Health Emergency. MOME is in the process of developing FAQs about requirements and guidelines for certain activities relevant to the industries in our portfolio. Please check MOME’s COVID-19 Resources website for updates.

Note: This guidance does not address higher-risk outdoor arts and entertainment activities including, but not limited to, places of public amusement (e.g., amusement parks, waterparks, carnivals), concerts, or performing arts in excess of the non-essential gathering limit, which remain closed.

OUTDOOR DINING

The City's overwhelmingly popular Open Restaurants program has expanded to 26 more locations and is now extended until the end of October. Nearly 9,000 participating restaurants will have two extra months to serve diners in safe, socially distant outdoor spaces, from sidewalks to curb lanes to Open Streets. Selected corridors will be operational on Friday from 5-11pm, and Saturday and Sunday from noon to 11pm.

On July 16, Governor Cuomo issued an executive order requiring that restaurants and bars must only serve alcohol to people who are also purchasing and eating food. The executive order also includes new regulations for bars and restaurants in New York City to ensure they are complying with state social distancing and face covering orders. As part of the state’s “Three Strikes and You're Closed” initiative, any establishment that receives three violations will be closed for business. Egregious violations can result in immediate loss of liquor license or closure before a third strike. Additionally, any establishment facing disciplinary charges by the State Liquor Authority will have its name and location posted publicly and updated on a weekly basis. The State Liquor Authority has issued new guidance, interpreting the executive order.

The Office of Nightlife continues to work with our colleagues at the NYC Department of Transportation (DOT), NYC Department of Small Business Services (SBS) and NYC Health Department (DOHMH) to provide operational guidance for restaurants and bars participating in New York City’s Open Restaurants program. Information about Restaurant Reopening is available at nyc.gov/restaurantreopening or by calling the SBS hotline at 888-SBS-4NYC.

SBS also has compiled a list of event production companies that rent or sell the equipment needed to safely transition to outdoor dining while complying with safety and accessibility regulations. Using this list, restaurants can contact several vendors directly to compare prices and find the best deal available.

The Office of Nightlife continues its public awareness campaign It’s Up to You, New York to encourage restaurants and bars, patrons and residents to work together to ensure that people socialize responsibly. Patrons who are just picking up orders are reminded to Take Out, Don’t Hang Out. Business owners can help promote these public awareness messages by downloading window posters and social media graphics here.

RESOURCES FOR BUSINESSES

Information and guidelines for businesses reopening in Phase 4 are available at NYC.gov/nycbusiness. The NYC Department of Small Business Services (SBS) is hosting Small Business Resource Fairs to provide information about requirements and guidelines to re-opening, safety plans, financial assistance, regulatory changes, employee support, licensing, inspections, and more. They also have a small business hotline—888-SBS-4NYC or 888-727-4692—to answer questions about the latest guidelines and regulations.

Under the State’s New York Forward plan, each business must develop a written Safety Plan for preventing the spread of COVID-19. Businesses may fill out this template or develop their own Safety Plan, which must be conspicuously posted on site and made available to the New York State Department of Health or New York City health or safety authorities in the event of an inspection.

The NYC Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP) offers information about reopening requirements and health and safety guidelines for the workplace, including FAQs for NYC Workers and an update about workplace laws for employers and employees to stop the spread of COVID-19. In addition, they have set up a Worker Protection Hotline at 311 or 1-212-436-0381 for questions about reopening or to report an employer that is not following reopening requirements.

DCWP and SBS also are working with business-serving partner organizations throughout the five boroughs to distribute free face coverings citywide to small businesses and their employees. If you are a small business looking to secure free face coverings for your employees, information is available here.

The NYC PPE + Reopening Supplies Marketplace provides a one-stop-shop for easy-to-access suppliers of (i) face masks and coverings, (ii) face shields, (iii) gloves, (iv) cleaning and disinfectant products, (v) physical barriers and portable furniture, and (vi) other supplies needed for re-opening. It represents both local and national suppliers and manufacturers to provide a wide range of order minimums.

All New Yorkers are encouraged to get tested for COVID-19 even if they do not have symptoms or are unsure if they were exposed. By getting tested, you are helping to keep your loved ones and your fellow New Yorkers safe. COVID-19 tests are free and confidential. New Yorkers who test positive for COVID-19 will receive a call from the Test & Trace Corps to make sure that they receive care and can safely separate to prevent the spread. To learn more about the Test & Trace program and find a testing site near you, visit www.testandtrace.nyc.

In response to increased rates of COVID-19 transmission in certain states within the United States, New York State has joined with New Jersey and Connecticut in jointly issuing a travel advisory for anyone returning from travel to states that have a significant degree of community-wide spread of COVID-19. As of this writing, individuals arriving in New York from 22 states on the list of states must quarantine for 14 days upon arrival in New York. The State Department of Health issued an emergency health order mandating that travelers from designated high infection states provide local authorities with contact information upon entering New York to help enforce quarantining. The order will be enforced at every airport in New York State. Violators can face a $2,000 fine and a hearing before a judge for noncompliance.

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Our Virtual NYC Curator Collections, launched in partnership with the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs and NYC & Company, features special collections of virtual experiences of New York City attractions, cultural institutions and entertainment venues handpicked by some of the City’s leading cultural influencers. Curators include Thelma Golden (The Studio Museum in Harlem), David Hatkoff (NewFest), Erika Elliott (Summerstage), Gina Duncan (BAM Cinema) and Andrea Bayer (Metropolitan Museum of Art); with Esther McGowan (Visual AIDS), Eric Sanderson (Wildlife Conservation Society), Suzanne Nossel (PEN America), Kamilah Forbes (Apollo Theater) and more to come.

For the latest updates, sign up for MOME’s newsletter, follow our social media channels on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, or visit our website at www.nyc.gov/mome.

As always, please feel free to reach out with any questions, concerns or for support.

Stay safe,

Anne del Castillo

Commissioner

Mayor's Office of Media and Entertainment

www.nyc.gov/mome

@NYCMOMECommish

Mayor's Office of Media and Entertainment

nyc.gov/mome

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