Policies

Valley Potters Terms and Conditions

By purchasing a membership, registering for an event or workshop, or participating in Valley Potters activities, you agree to the following Terms and Conditions.

Membership

1. Membership

Membership is valid for one year from the date of purchase and will automatically renew annually unless cancelled.
Membership provides access to Valley Potters member benefits, which may be amended by the Committee from time to time.
Membership is personal and non-transferable.

2. Membership Fees and Renewals

Membership fees are charged annually using the payment method provided at the time of purchase.
Members are responsible for ensuring their payment details remain current.
Renewal reminders may be provided prior to renewal; however, it remains the member's responsibility to manage their membership and payment details.

3. Cancellation of Membership

Members may cancel their membership at any time.
Cancellation will prevent future automatic renewals.
Membership benefits will remain available until the end of the current paid membership period.

4. Membership Refunds

Membership fees are non-refundable.
No refunds or partial refunds will be provided once a membership has been purchased or renewed, including where a member chooses to cancel before the end of the membership period.

5. Workshops and Events

Registration fees for workshops, events, exhibitions and other activities must be paid in accordance with the requirements specified for that activity.
Places are not guaranteed until payment has been received where payment is required.
Valley Potters reserves the right to alter, postpone or cancel any workshop, event, exhibition or activity where necessary.

6. Limitation of Liability

Participation in Valley Potters workshops, events, exhibitions and activities is at the participant's own risk.
To the extent permitted by law, Valley Potters Inc., its Committee members, volunteers, presenters and representatives are not liable for any loss, damage, injury, illness, expense or inconvenience arising from participation in any Valley Potters activity.
Participants are responsible for ensuring they are physically capable of undertaking any activities they choose to participate in and for taking reasonable care of their own property and belongings.
Nothing in these Terms and Conditions excludes, restricts or modifies any rights or remedies that cannot be excluded under Australian Consumer Law or other applicable legislation.

7. Member Conduct

Members, guests and participants are expected to behave respectfully towards fellow members, volunteers, presenters, venue staff and the wider community.
Valley Potters reserves the right to refuse participation in an event or terminate a membership where behaviour is considered inappropriate, unsafe, discriminatory, abusive or detrimental to the organisation or its members.
No refund will be provided in these circumstances.

8. Changes to Terms, Fees and Benefits

Valley Potters reserves the right to amend these Terms and Conditions, membership fees, member benefits, events, services and policies from time to time.
Any significant changes to membership fees will be communicated prior to renewal.

9. Contact

For membership, workshop or event enquiries, please contact Valley Potters via the website or admin@valleypotters.org.au.

Privacy Policy

Valley Potters respects the privacy of our members and visitors. We collect only the personal information necessary to manage membership, communicate about events and exhibitions, and provide updates about our activities. Your personal information will not be shared with third parties without your consent, except where required by law.

By becoming a member of Valley Potters, you agree that photographs of yourself and your work may be taken at events and exhibitions, and used for promotional purposes including on our website, social media, and print materials. We are committed to using these images respectfully and to represent the spirit of our community and members’ creative contributions.

Refund Policy

Exhibition purchases
All sales made at Valley Potters exhibitions are final. We do not offer returns or refunds on exhibition purchases.

Workshops and Events
If you are unable to attend a workshop or event for which you have registered, you may request a refund (minus a $10 administration fee). To be eligible, cancellations must be received more than 3 days before the workshop. Unfortunately, withdrawals made within 3 days of the event are non-refundable. Workshop cancellations should be sent to workshops@valleypotters.org.au

If possible, please notify us as early as you can so we may offer your place to someone on the waiting list.

All refunds are at the discretion of the Valley Potters Inc. Committee.

Apron Returns
We are happy to replace or refund faulty aprons within 30 days of purchase, provided the item has not been worn and is returned in its original packaging. Return postage is the responsibility of the purchaser. Please email president@valleypotters.org.au to notify us of your return.

Member Social Media Policy

Valley Potters respects the privacy of all members. Images or information about members will not be shared digitally or in print without prior permission.

Photography

Permission must be obtained before taking photos and before posting them on social media or in print.
For group photos, participants must be informed beforehand and given the option to opt out.
Registration forms for workshops, exhibitions, or events will include an option for members to agree (or decline) to appear in photos.
Any material deemed offensive or inappropriate will be removed immediately.

Facebook

Post Approval

Only administrators may approve posts.
Nominated administrators and long-term members who agree to the Rules for Posting may publish without pre-approval.
All other participants must have posts approved by an administrator before publishing.

Rules for Participation and Posting

Content must be art-related, engaging, and relevant to the group (e.g., general art discussions, selling equipment, external exhibitions/workshops, light-hearted posts).
Members must agree to the group rules on joining. A participation question (e.g., “What is your favourite ceramic tool?”) helps ensure new members are genuine.

Posts will be declined if they are:

Not art-related
Self-promotional (selling individual work)
Repeated promotions of non-VP classes or courses (more than once a month)
Personal, disrespectful, or abusive

If a post is declined, the reason will be shared with the poster.

Instagram

Account Access

Only the Social Media Officer/Instagram Administrator and nominated committee members with login access may post.
Members may email photos and information to the Social Media Officer/Administrator for approval and publication.

Content Guidelines

Posts must showcase members and their work, or promote Valley Potters exhibitions, workshops, and events.
Non-VP exhibitions or events may only be shared if members are directly involved.
Posts should maintain a consistent look, using agreed templates, layouts, and hashtags to reach the desired audience.
A visually cohesive feed is encouraged (e.g., aligning event posts in a central column).