In October 2003, Gary Wien launched Upstage Magazine, a monthly print publication that covered the arts throughout Central New Jersey. The publication ultimately grew to 25,000 copies per month with distribution throughout much of the state. Upstage was well received critically and ultimately earned an Asbury Music Award for Top Music Publication in 2007, becoming the only publication other than The Aquarian to ever win the award. In addition both the website and Wien picked up multiple Asbury Music Awards (for Top Website and Top Music Journalist) as well. Wien left the publication shortly afterwards, and Upstage ceased publishing a few months later.

In the months that followed, arts groups continued to submit press releases and materials. In 2008, Wien launched NewJerseyStage.com as a hobby to be an online news resource to continue coverage of the arts. Six years later, he decided to return to covering the arts full-time and redesigned the website to become a digital version of the old Upstage Magazine. On May 1, 2014, New Jersey Stage became a full-time resource covering the arts. On July 15, the first issue of New Jersey Stage digital magazine was released.

New Jersey Stage aims to bring artists, organizations, and art councils together. We are developing plans to allow arts organizations to reduce or even eliminate the cost of advertising with us. We encourage organizations to send us press releases and add their events to our calendar.

We want this to be a partnership. We believe in the arts and want to support the arts as much as we can. With the help of artists and art organizations, we can create a magazine that gives the arts the coverage it needs and one it deserves.

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