Patti Smith is performing at the Brooklyn Museum today

As part of the recently announced NY PopsUp project—a local initiative behind hundreds of free cultural events around the city's public spaces in the next few months—the legendary Patti Smith will perform music and poetry at the Brooklyn Museum today at 12:30pm. 

Although museum workers will be in attendance, the show will be closed to the public but available for streaming on NY PopsUp's own Instagram page right here.

Smith takes the stage to honor the her late collaborator, friend and lover Robert Mapplethorpe, who passed on this day in 1989, while also celebrating the destination's employees. 

As part of NY PopsUp, A-listers the likes of Amy Schumer, Renee Fleming, Hugh Jackman, Chris Rock, Billy Porter and Mandy Patinkin are scheduled to take over performance spaces all around town in the hopes of kickstarting New York's cultural and entertainment life once again.

Speaking of shows al fresco: Lincoln Center is preparing to open a giant outdoor performing arts center this April, encompassing 10 performance and rehearsal spaces that will play host to concerts, film screenings, dance workshops, reading programs and more.

But a return to normalcy might, perhaps, be closer than we all once thought. In fact, to the excitement of all New Yorkers, the state also announced that arts and entertainment venues can start reopening at 33% capacity beginning April 2, with a maximum attendance of 100-150 people per event. 

The weather is getting warmer, restaurants are slowly opening and live shows are picking up. New York, are you almost back? We can't wait to hug you again.

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