Privacy Policy

Swallow Art Cambridge (“we”, “us”, “the studio”) is a small independent art studio based in Cambridge, UK, offering art classes, creative workshops and private lessons. We are responsible for the personal data you share with us and this policy sets out how we look after it.

This policy applies to information collected through this website, through the booking process, and in the course of attending a class, workshop or private lesson. It meets the minimum requirements of the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

If you have any questions about this policy or how your data is used, please contact us at swallow.art.cambridge@gmail.com.

We only collect the information we need to run the studio and communicate with you. This may include:

• Contact details such as your name, email address and phone number.
• Booking information including the class, workshop or private lesson you have booked, the dates and times, and payment details. Card details are processed by our payment provider (Stripe) and are never stored by us.
• Student details where relevant, such as the student’s name, date of birth, age, allergies, medical information or special requirements, and photo consent preferences.
• Parent or guardian details where the student is under 18, so that we can contact a responsible adult.
• Marketing preferences if you join the mailing list or tell us you would like to hear about future workshops and term dates.
• Messages you send us through the contact form, waiting list form, or by email.

We use your personal data for the following purposes:

• To communicate with you about your booking, including confirmation emails, reminders, and follow-up information about how to find the studio.
• For marketing, such as sending details of new workshops, term dates and other studio news. We will only send marketing emails where you have asked to receive them, and you can unsubscribe at any time using the link in any email.
• To run the classes safely, including using allergy, medical and access information to plan sessions and keep students safe.
• To process payments through our payment provider and keep financial records.
• To keep a calendar of sessions, so that bookings can be added to the studio calendar and reminders sent.
• To respond to your enquiries and manage waiting list and trial class requests.

We rely on your consent for marketing communications and for photography (see below). For booking and class-related information we rely on our legitimate interests in running the studio and fulfilling the contract you have entered into by booking a class.

Photos may be taken during classes and workshops of people who have given their consent. Where consent has been given, photos may be taken for the studio’s own records and general use, but they will not be posted online without additional, specific consent regarding the use of those images.

Photos of students’ artwork may also be taken and posted on the Gallery page of this website to celebrate students’ work. These show the artwork itself rather than the person, and may be shared unless you tell us otherwise.

You can change your mind or withdraw consent at any time by contacting us at swallow.art.cambridge@gmail.com. Withdrawing consent will not affect any photos already shared with your earlier permission, but we will remove them from future use where reasonably possible.

We do not sell your personal data. We only share it with trusted services that help us run the studio, and only where necessary:

• Payment provider (Stripe) to process payments securely. Stripe handles your card details; we do not see or store them.
• Email and calendar services to send confirmation emails, reminders and calendar invitations.
• Cloud database and hosting providers used to store booking and contact information securely.

We may also disclose information where required by law or to protect the rights, safety or property of the studio, our students or others.

We keep booking and contact information for as long as needed to run the studio and for reasonable record-keeping afterwards. Marketing preferences are kept while you remain on the mailing list and removed when you unsubscribe. You can ask us to delete your information at any time (see “Your rights” below).

We take reasonable steps to protect your personal data against unauthorised access, loss or misuse. Access to personal data is restricted to the studio and limited administrative systems, and payment details are never stored by us. However, no method of transmission or storage over the internet is completely secure, so we cannot guarantee absolute security.

Under the UK GDPR you have a number of rights regarding your personal data, including:

• The right to access the personal data we hold about you.
• The right to ask us to correct information that is inaccurate or incomplete.
• The right to ask us to delete your personal data in certain circumstances.
• The right to object to or restrict the processing of your data.
• The right to withdraw consent at any time for marketing or photography.
• The right to data portability — to receive a copy of your data in a usable format.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at swallow.art.cambridge@gmail.com. If you are unhappy with how we have handled your data, you also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) at ico.org.uk.

Many of our classes are aimed at children and young people. When a child under 18 attends a class, we collect the booking through a parent or guardian and obtain photography and medical consent from them. We do not knowingly collect personal information directly from children. If you believe a child has provided us with personal data without parental consent, please contact us so we can remove it.

We may update this policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practice or the law. The date at the top of the page shows when it was last reviewed. Continued use of the website after a change indicates your acceptance of the updated policy.