NJArts.net celebrates its 12th anniversary; announces it will close at end of year

NJArts.net will close at the end of 2026.

Today marks the 12th anniversary of NJArts.net. I am proud of what we have accomplished: creating a thorough and thoughtful outlet for arts coverage in New Jersey at a time when it has really been needed.

However, I have some sad news to share, as well. NJArts.net will close at the end of 2026.

Is there a chance it could re-emerge in some different, transformed way, with less or no involvement from me? Sure, it is possible. But it will no longer exist in its present form.

A number of factors go into this. But most of all, it is a matter of economic necessity. For the past year or so, our advertising and donation revenue has been significantly down. It isn’t hard to figure out why: Arts organizations are struggling, grant and foundation money is drying up, and people are, in general, feeling a sense of economic uncertainty and therefore less likely to donate. AI has also cut into our viewership: Those seeking information are now simply being given it, instead of being directed to look on a website.

NJArts.net — which has generated about 7,000 posts over those 12 years — has always involved a tremendous amount of work for very little money. When that money decreases even more … it just doesn’t make a lot of sense to continue.

A few months ago, we stopped making advertising agreements past Dec. 31, and I informed staff members, contributors and friends of the site that we will likely be closing. It is now time to go public.

I want to thank our vice president Cindy Stagoff — whose contributions, both behind the scenes and as a writer, have been essential — and everyone who has worked for the site. I have constantly been amazed at how much great work people have been willing to do, for far less money than they deserve.

I know that many of those in the arts world — whether they are artists, or presenters, or just enjoy reading our posts — are grateful as well.

Personally, I hope to stay involved in the arts scene, in some way. I’m not sure exactly what form that will take, but have begun to explore other possibilities. My last day at The Star-Ledger was Sept. 5, 2014, and NJArts.net was launched on Sept. 15, 2014. I hope to be able to start on something else, just as quickly, this time.

Whatever happens, the dormant site will stay accessible for some period of time after Dec. 31, so people can continue to read the posts that already exist. I’m not sure exactly how long that will continue, though.

My main idea, when I started the site, was that since The Star-Ledger’s arts section — for which I had worked for 25 years — was no longer what it was, maybe I could re-create it online. And I feel NJArts.net has done that as well as it could be done, given our limited resources. In addition to Cindy and our writers, many other have offered essential support, including:

• The Gia Maione Prima Foundation

• stalwart advertisers such as NJPAC, The State Theatre, The Mayo Performing Arts Center, The McCarter Theatre Center, The New Brunswick Performing Arts Center, Peak Performances at Montclair State University, The Carteret Performing Arts & Events Center, and others

• Percy Cole Media, which helped with our site re-design and other technical matters

• The Center for Cooperative Media at Montclair State

• Broadstreet Ads, our ad server.

Many others, as well, have helped in small and large ways.

I am making this announcement on the site’s anniversary, in part, because I want to remind people how long we have been able to do what we do. It is something to celebrate.

But change is good and, sometimes, necessary. This is one of those times.

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