MTV VMAs to Return to New York

The show will go on.

The 2020 MTV Video Music Awards will take place in person on Aug. 30 at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center, MTV and New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced on Monday.

“This year’s screen breaking spectacle will bring together music fans worldwide and pay homage to the strength, spirit and incredible resilience of NYC and its beloved residents,” MTV said in a statement.

The 36th annual show, which was last held at Barclays in 2013, will feature performances from various iconic locations throughout all five boroughs–Brooklyn, The Bronx, Staten Island, Queens, and Manhattan.

“We’re elated to bring the 2020 VMAs back to NYC, the cultural mecca of the world where music and entertainment are woven into the DNA,” said Bruce Gillmer, President of Music, Music Talent, Programming & Events for ViacomCBS Media Networks.

🚨 THE #VMAs ARE BACK IN NYC 🚨

Mark your calendars: Sunday, August 30th at the @barclayscenter! 🚀 https://t.co/TdmElLs1Cp

— MTV (@MTV) June 29, 2020

Several awards shows have been postponed in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic including the iHeartRadio Music Awards, Oscars, and Golden Globes. Sunday’s BET Awards moved forward as scheduled with socially-distant performances and no audience.

Producers of the VMAs are working closely with state and local officials to implement safety practices including social-distancing procedures and limited capacity or no audience. More details will be released at a later date based on local data.

“The 2020 MTV VMAs will be the first Barclays Center event since the COVID-19 pandemic reached New York,” said Oliver Weisberg, CEO of Barclays Center. “We deeply appreciate the support and advice of state and local government officials, as well as our internal management and team of medical experts, all of whom have been working hard to ensure the health and safety of everyone involved, and we will continue to closely follow their guidance throughout every step of the planning process with our partners at ViacomCBS.”