ARTPOP is the new rebrand of our group that started off as “TICTOC” = To Introduce Culture To Our Children.

TIC TOC Theater & Art is a local volunteer organization founded in 1960 that makes fine and performing arts experiences available to students in Glen Rock, Ridgewood, Ho-Ho-Kus, Midland Park, and Fair Lawn. TIC TOC has two main components: performing arts and other special art-related events through the school year, and an elementary school classroom enrichment program through which parent volunteers – also known as art docents – present famous works of art, including paintings, sculpture and historical artifacts, to children during the school day.

Being a volunteer art docent is easy and fun. ARTPOP’s many painting collections (usually composed of 8 paintings each) and valuable artifact collections rotate through each of the 17 member schools on an easy-to-follow schedule. Or stop by your school and check out the ARTPOP Painting hallway and the Artifact Collection display area to see what’s on display!

Being an Art Docent is a wonderful way to get involved in the classroom, encourage an appreciation of the arts, and share your talents and interests with your school community! In most schools, the HSA website has an ARTPOP link and/or valuable ARTPOP Art Docent information available.

Parents can sign up as little or as often as they like. Feel free to use your talents in photography, architecture, dance and other artistic fields and present on topics outside of the collections. Some schools have set days and weeks for ARTPOP during the school year.

Contact your School Representative on becoming an Art Docent. You will need to attend a Docent Training Session. But if you cannot make one, you can ask your School Representative to guide you.

Docent Trainings are held several times a year at the Ridgewood Library. Your School Rep will share this information with your school.

Painting Collections rotate 3x within our member schools. Collections are picked up and dropped off directly to each school and Reps are in charge of displaying and packing paintings. Please refer to our Painting Collections Packing Schedule for more information.

Paintings can only be requested for large scale special events due to the complexity of School Painting Collection rotations and are granted only upon availability. Artifacts Collections can also be requested for events like school multicultural nights upon availability. Please contact us with questions.

Pickups and Drop-offs are scheduled at the Ridgewood BOE. Reps will be notified via email for pickup and drop off schedules. Please refer to our Packing Calendars for Paintings and Artifacts.

Check the schedule to see which collections are currently on display at your school. Then flip through the painting gallery on the ARTPOP website to read up on the piece and artist. Some pages have links to projects and resources docents have used in the past.

The “TIC TOC Docent” Facebook page has project and craft ideas from current and past docents to give you ideas.

Pinterest is also a great resource for getting project ideas you can do in the classroom.

You also do not have to do a project! You can also go in the classroom and have a discussion!

Lastly, seasoned ARTPOP art docents are always ready and willing to help new docents, so feel free to reach out to your Rep or the Board!

Contact your School Representative on how to join. Each school can have more than one Representative.

Board meetings are held each month during the school year.  Attendees include our Executive Board and Representatives from each member school. Meetings are also accessible via Zoom.

ARTPOP thrives because of dedicated volunteers, including DOCENTS, as well as the following roles:

“ARTPOP School Rep” – attends monthly ARTPOP meetings, serves as a liaison to the school, and relays valuable info.

Painting Collection Coordinator – picks up the school’s first two painting collections, packs up one painting collection (on 4-6 different Wednesdays per year), unpacks and hangs the new painting collection (the following day, e.g. Thursday), and returns the school’s two painting collections at the end of the year.

Artifact Collection Coordinator – picks up the school’s first artifact collection, brings the artifact collection to a rep meeting 2 times a year for a rotation, unpacks and sets up the new special collection, and returns the last artifact collection at the end of the year.

Event Chairs/Staff – support the 3-4 arts-related events that ARTPOP hosts through the school year, including the ARTboretum, Shakespeare Faire & Performance, author visits & activities, and guest performing acts, and other special events.

Board Members – be a part of a fun group of volunteers as VP, Secretary, Treasurer, or even President! ARTPOP always needs new ideas, energy and enthusiasm...art is classic but dynamic, and our Board needs to be too!!