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Dear Friends,

This week, we are proud to announce that over 5 million New York City residents have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. We need to keep this momentum going to keep New York City safe and strong. You can find your nearest COVID-19 vaccine site online or by calling 844-VAX-4NYC.

On August 3, Mayor de Blasio announced that workers and customers will have to provide proof of vaccination in order to participate in indoor dining, indoor entertainment, and indoor fitness facilities, beginning August 16. You can watch the press conference about the Key to NYC Pass program here. Key to NYC Pass is a first-in-the-nation approach that will be phased in over the coming weeks. Proof of vaccination includes a paper vaccination card from the CDC, a NYC Vaccination Record, the Excelsior Pass, or the NYC COVID Safe App for Android or iOS. The City will announce the final details of this policy late next week. Inspections and enforcement will begin September 13. We will be providing more details as they become available.

ADDITIONAL COVID-19 UPDATES

This is the last week for middle and high school students ages 12 and older to get vaccinated and be fully protected by the first week of school, which starts on September 13. Vaccinations are available at some schools; see the list of dates and locations on the Department of Education’s website.

It’s never been easier to get a vaccination. People ages 12 and older are eligible for the vaccine. (Note: People who are between 12 and 17 years of age are only eligible for the Pfizer vaccine.) Reminder: Labor Law section 196-b allows employees to use sick leave for the recovery of any side effects of the COVID-19 vaccination and section 197-c allows leave to receive vaccinations.

• You can find your nearest COVID-19 vaccine site online or call 844-VAX-4NYC.

• There are now many walk-up vaccine sites throughout the City where appointments are longer required. See a list of sites where you can get a walk-up vaccination today.

• The NYC Mobile Vaccine Buses and Vans visit neighborhoods across the five boroughs to offer convenient, ADA-accessible COVID-19 vaccinations. The full schedule is available here. In-person interpretation in multiple languages and multilingual vaccine materials are available on site. Appointments are not required, but you can book in advance online or by calling 877-VAX-4NYC.

• Free transportation to vaccination appointments in NYC is available for city residents 65 and older and those with disabilities who have no other way to get to a vaccination site. To arrange for transportation, call 877-VAX-4NYC (877-829-4692).

• NYC residents who cannot leave their home can sign up for an in-home vaccination online or by calling 877-VAX-4NYC (877-829-4692). Even if you received your first dose of Pfizer or Moderna through a different program, such as a clinic or mobile vaccination site, you can still receive the second dose at home.

New York City is offering incentives to encourage more New Yorkers get vaccinated. Adults who receive their first vaccine dose at New York City-run sites are now eligible to receive a $100 pre-paid gift card, free tickets, or memberships, and can enter a competition to win exclusive prizes. Anyone who has received a COVID-19 vaccine at any time can take advantage of discounts and giveaways from other NYC businesses by showing their CDC vaccination card. And as discussed above, soon vaccinations will be required to enjoy everything our city has to offer.

To maximize protection from the Delta variant and prevent possibly spreading it to others, the Mayor and the NYC Health Department strongly recommend all people over age two to wear masks or face coverings indoors in public places in New York City, even if fully vaccinated. Also, please remember to keep doing what we know works: wash your hands; if you’re sick, get tested and stay home; and get vaccinated.

Last week, Governor Cuomo and Mayor de Blasio announced vaccine and test mandates for State and City government employees. Mayor de Blasio also made an official call for the private sector to enact vaccine and test mandates at their offices, workplaces, stores, and restaurants.

Beginning September 13, New York City will require proof of vaccination or weekly COVID-19 tests for all City workers. And all newly hired City workers will need to receive at least one dose of the vaccine prior to starting work, pursuant to Executive Order No. 75 of 2021.

Travel

The New York State Travel Advisory is no longer in effect. Travelers arriving in New York are no longer required to submit New York State traveler health forms. All travelers, domestic and international, should continue to follow all CDC travel requirements.

As of August 9, American citizens and permanent residents of the United States, who currently reside in the U.S. and who qualify as fully vaccinated travelers, will be able to enter Canada for discretionary travel. For more information, see Canada’s official website.

REOPENING UPDATES

Arts and Entertainment

Last week, the Mayor's Office of Media and Entertainment (MOME) and New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA) announced that applications are open for the third round of grants from the NYC Women's Fund for Media, Music and Theatre. Qualified applicants can apply for finishing grants through November 1, 2021. The NYC Women’s Fund was created to address the underrepresentation of female-identified creatives in the entertainment industries. Since the program’s launch in 2018, MOME has awarded $3.5 million to 157 film, theatre, and music projects. Information about the program, including a schedule of informational sessions, is available on the NYC Women’s Fund website.

The third cycle of applicants for City Artist Corps grants opened on July 27 at 10am and will close on August 10 at 10am. A program of the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the New York Foundation for the Arts with support from MOME, City Artist Corps Grants are intended to support NYC-based working artists who have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19. The program will distribute one-time $5,000 grants to over 3,000 artists to help sustain their practice and engage the public across New York City’s five boroughs this summer beginning July. Artists working in any discipline are eligible to apply. For information on upcoming information sessions from July 22 to August 3 and one-on-one application assistance, please refer to NYFA’s technical assistance schedule.

Open Culture performances continue to roll out in neighborhoods across the city. The program, which runs through October 31, allows ticketed, socially distanced, outdoor performances at nearly 200 street locations throughout the five boroughs. The NYC Open Culture Program Resources page offers tips for planning and preparation for Open Culture events, links to best practices and protocols for live performance developed by unions and performing arts organizations. MOME has updated the Open Culture Roadmap: Tips for a Successful Performance in the Street to reflect recent changes in State law and guidance.

Media Production

Film permittees must follow State regulations on face coverings and social distancing, but the NYS DOH Interim Guidance for Media Production During the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency is now optional. Please read MOME’s updated FAQ on Production Activity on Public Property in New York City During the COVID-19 Pandemic for answers to questions about remaining health and safety requirements and limitations on film permits. If you have questions about these changes after reading the film permit webpage, please call the Film Office at (212) 489-6710.

Nightlife

The State recently amended Alcoholic Beverage Control Law section 110(1)(g), allowing New York State Liquor Authority (SLA) licensees participating in the Open Restaurants Program to continue serving alcohol on City property for an additional year.  The SLA issued important guidelines that require SLA-licensees that are participants in the Open Restaurants Program to take action.

• Restaurants participating in the Open Restaurants Program before July 7, 2021, must follow the SLA’s instructions for “Licensees Already Utilizing Municipal Property” by providing notification that includes a copy of the authorization from NYC DOT and a diagram of the restaurant’s use of City property

to SLA by October 5, 2021

.

• Restaurants applying to participate in the Open Restaurants Program on or after July 7, 2021, must follow the SLA’s instructions for “New Applicants for Municipal Property.” Specifically, new applicants must provide notice to the applicable community board. Thirty days after providing the notice, a new applicant must send proof of receipt of the notice along with a copy of the authorization from NYC DOT and a diagram of the restaurant’s use of City property.

The legal process to make the Open Restaurants Program permanent is now underway. You can read more about the process on the NYC Department of City Planning’s website.

On July 29, the City Council passed a suite of bills concerning third-party delivery services, that would cap third-party delivery fees at 15% per order until February 17, 2022, among other things, if they become law.

NYC BUSINESS QUICK START

The NYC Department of Small Business Services (SBS) has launched a new interagency initiative to cut red tape and support NYC businesses with opening or reopening. NYC Business Quick Start provides small businesses a sole point of contact to help navigate City regulations, guarantees a 48-hour response to all small business inquiries and will cut processing time by 50 percent. The program is a collaboration between several key agencies including SBS, Department of Buildings (DOB), Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH), and the New York City Fire Department (FDNY).

STATE ASSISTANCE

New York State has launched the New York City Musical and Theatrical Production Tax Credit to support the entertainment and tourism industries in New York City. The program will offset some of the costs associated with producing a show, including production costs for sets, costumes, wardrobes, makeup, technical support, salaries, sound, lighting and staging. Eligible companies can receive tax credits of 25% of qualified production expenditures. First-year program applicants can receive up to $3 million per production, with second year applications being eligible for up to $1.5 million. More information on the program, including the program guidelines and application, is available on Empire State Development’s website.

Applications for the New York State COVID-19 Pandemic Small Business Recovery Grant Program are live. The Grant Program provides $800 million in assistance for small businesses (including small for-profit independent arts and cultural organizations), experiencing financial hardship as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Flexible grants up to $50,000 can be used for operating expenses, including payroll, rent or mortgage payments, taxes, utilities, personal protective equipment, or other business expenses incurred during the pandemic. Over 330,000 small and micro businesses are potentially eligible for this program, including 57 percent of the State’s certified MWBEs. Application help is available by phone at 877-721-0097.

The NYS Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) began accepting applications on June 1. Eligible low and moderate-income households can get up to 12 months of their back rent paid, three months of future rent, and other assistance. There are no immigration status requirements to qualify for the program, and the State recently announced a new streamlined application process for New York’s rent relief program to help eliminate potential barriers for eligible New Yorkers to receive funding. NYC’s Human Resources Administration website offers information about the program, as well as a list of organizations that can help New Yorkers with their applications.

Moratorium Updates: On August 3, 2021, the Centers for Disease Control issued an order extending the federal ban on certain residential evictions until October 3, 2021—this order applies in New York City and other counties with substantial and high transmission rates of COVID-19. The New York State ban on evictions, foreclosure proceedings, credit discrimination and negative credit reporting related to the effects of the pandemic extends until August 31, 2021. The moratorium that prevents utility companies from disconnecting utilities to residential households and small businesses that are struggling with their bills due to the COVID-19 pandemic extends until December 22, 2021.

FEDERAL ASSISTANCE

The American Rescue Plan extends a number of critical tax benefits, particularly the Employee Retention Credit and Paid Leave Credit, to small businesses. Find out more on the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s website.

The National Endowment for the Arts is providing American Rescue Plan Grants to eligible organizations nationwide. These funds are intended to help support jobs in the arts sector, keep the doors open to arts organizations nationwide, and assist the field in its response to and recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. Unlike other Arts Endowment funding programs that offer project-based support, Rescue Plan funds are intended to support specific operating costs only. Cost share/matching funds are not required.

The Arts Endowment encourages applications from a variety of eligible organizations including: organizations that serve populations that are underserved, such as those whose opportunities to experience the arts are limited by ethnicity, economics, geography, or disability; organizations with small and medium-sized budgets; organizations from rural to urban communities; and organizations that may be applying for federal support through the Arts Endowment for the first time. For more information and to apply, visit the NEA’s webpage.

As of August 2, 2021, SBA awarded Shuttered Venue Operators Grants (SVOG) to roughly 745 New York City applicants. A list of recipients is available on SBA’s website. According to SBA’s latest report, SBA is actively reviewing 588 applications and has not begun review of an additional 91. See SBA’s FAQ if you have applied but have not yet been notified of an award. For more information and to view applicant resources, visit the SVOG website. For SVOG application portal technical support such as a password reset, browser suggestions, or how to use the multi-factor authentication with an app and the QR code, applicants can call 1-800-659-2955 or, for the deaf and hard-of-hearing, 1-800-877-8339 and follow the prompts to SVOG assistance.

NYC live-performance venues, businesses, and non-profit organizations applying for SVOG and other federal assistance can access free technical assistance through Curtains Up NYC, a program partnership of MOME and NYC Department of Small Business Services (SBS). Trained counselors are also available for virtual, one-on-one sessions. Information is available on the Curtains Up NYC webpage or 888-SBS-4NYC.

The SBA launched a streamlined application portal to allow borrowers with Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans $150,000 or less through participating lenders to apply for forgiveness directly through the SBA. The new forgiveness platform will begin accepting applications from borrowers on August 4, 2021. Information about PPP loan forgiveness is available on SBA’s website.

Eligible small businesses, nonprofits, sole proprietors and independent contractors can still apply for a COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). Learn more about EIDL and the Targeted EIDL Advance and Supplemental Targeted Advance.

NYC HOMECOMING

Last week, Mayor de Blasio announced additional details about NYC Homecoming Week and he revealed the all-star lineup set to perform at the “WE LOVE NYC: The Homecoming Concert produced by New York City, Clive Davis and Live Nation” on the Great Lawn in Central Park on Saturday, August 21. This historic, once-in-a-generation concert, presented by Citi® and Expedia®, will feature an array of music icons and contemporary artists spanning musical and entertainment genres. A list of confirmed performers is available here.

Also last week, the Mayor and Universal Hip Hop Museum (UHHM) Executive Director and President Rocky Bucano announced with Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. and New York State Assembly Speaker Carl E. Heastie the dynamic lineup of Hip Hop, Latin freestyle, dance, freestyle, techno, and funk artists set to perform at the “It’s Time for Hip Hop in NYC” concerts. The concerts – produced by New York City, the Universal Hip Hop Museum, and IDEKO – will be held at outdoor venues in The Bronx, Staten Island, Brooklyn and Queens during NYC Homecoming Week, August 14-22.

NYC Homecoming Week events will also include free film screenings hosted by Rooftop Films, NYC Restaurant Week, Summer Streets, iconic events, cultural activities, public art, and more. To sign up for email updates on NYC Homecoming Week events and tickets, visit the NYC Homecoming Week website.

***

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.

Stay safe and stay NYC strong,

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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