The City of New Orleans is expected to address its policy on allowing live music later this week, according to a city spokesperson referenced in the Acadiana edition of The Advocate.

Live music is once again permitted in Louisiana as the state entered Phase 2 of reopening this past Friday, June 12 (the City of New Orleans entered Phase 2 on June 13). An exception is New Orleans, which still prohibits live music in bars and clubs, though bars can now operate at 25% capacity and restaurants at 50% capacity. According to the Advocate, “A city spokesperson said Tuesday evening that officials were still consulting with public health experts and hoped to clarify New Orleans’ policy on live music later this week.”

Elsewhere in Louisiana, bars and clubs can offer live music legally for the first time in mid-March, when the novel coronavirus pandemic began shutting cities down across the nation. However, there are limitations and businesses are required to apply for approval from the Louisiana Department of Health and the State Fire Marshal’s Office.

At this State of Louisiana government webpage, business owners can find answers to questions like “What are the steps to open my business?” and “What restrictions are my business subject to, if any?” Phase 1 and Phase 2 documents are available for download, and business owners are able to sign up for notifications and guidance about safely reopening.

As for New Orleans, the current city guidelines regarding live music state “Indoor live entertainment is not allowed. Outdoor live entertainment is only allowed with a special event permit,”  as well as “As per State Fire Marshal guidelines, dancing is not allowed during this phase.” Here, interested parties can learn more about the guidelines for special event permissions.

Stay tuned to OffBeat.com and our social media pages (Facebook, Instagram and Twitter) for updates about live music’s return to New Orleans.