March 11, 2020 | Britt Stigler

POSTED IN Visual

Updated March 13, 1:00 p.m.

As information about the spread of the coronavirus continues to develop, organizations across the city have been faced with the task of determining whether or not to cancel or postpone public gatherings in the interest of health and safety.

On Thursday, Governor Andrew Cuomo announced a ban on all large gatherings of 500 people or more, mandating that all 41 Broadway theaters shutter as of 5 p.m. Thursday.

“Our top priority has been and will continue to be the health and well-being of Broadway theatregoers and the thousands of people who work in the theatre industry every day, including actors, musicians, stagehands, ushers and many other dedicated professionals,” Charlotte St. Martin, president of the Broadway League, said in a statement. “Broadway has the power to inspire, enrich and entertain, and together we are committed to making that vital spirit a reality. Once our stages are lit again, we will welcome fans back with open arms so that they can continue to experience the joy, heart and goodwill that our shows so passionately express every night.”

Arts organizations have also postponed or cancelled public events in an effort to stave off the spread of the virus. Earlier this week, The New York Public Library suspended all public-facing programming, and has since announced that they will be closed through March 31. The cancellations were made, according to a New York Public Library official, as a “precaution to help limit the spread of coronavirus and support the City’s efforts to promote social distancing.” Those who have items checked out at local branches will have their due dates extended to April 15, and no late fees will accrue on materials that were due during the period that the library is closed.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art announced Thursday that it would shut down all three of its locations — including the Met’s Fifth Avenue flagship, the Met Breuer and the Met Cloisters — beginning March 13. A re-open date was not specified. Other major museums across New York City followed suit, with the Guggenheim announcing that they would be temporarily closed until April 30.

The Lincoln Center Campus, including the Metropolitan Opera, Film at Lincoln Center and Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, announced the cancellation of all performances, screenings and rehearsals through March 31, effective 5 p.m. Thursday.

“With health authorities urging social distancing with greater emphasis, it is simply untenable for us to continue to perform, as it puts our artists, staff and audiences at risk,” Met General Manager Peter Gelb stated. “I would like to express my deep personal regret that the situation has led us to this point.”

Additionally, events at Carnegie Hall have been cancelled through March 31. All educational programming presented by Carnegie Hall’s Weill Music Institute has been suspended both on and off of campus.

Looking forward, the Tribeca Film Festival announced Thursday that they would be postponing the annual festival, originally slated for April 15-26, to a future yet-to-be-determined date. The organization cited Cuomo’s ban on large gatherings as a cause.

“We are committed to ensuring the health and safety of the public while also supporting our friends, filmmakers and storytellers who look to Tribeca as a platform to showcase their work to audiences,” officials said in a statement. “We will be back to you shortly with our plans.”

As the status of gatherings across the city continues to unfold, we’ve compiled a list of programs and events that have been cancelled or postponed in response to coronavirus. This page will be updated as new developments occur. If you know of an event that has been affected or an organization that has been closed, please contact us at allartsinfo@wliw.org. Updates compiled from infectious disease doctors, medical professionals and journalists who cover coronavirus news can be found here.