This page contains the policies and guidelines that all students and visitors are expected to observe. It also outlines the workshop refund policy and other useful information. Please review these policies before registering for class.

Policies and guidelines

Community is central to the mission of the Natural Heritage Art Centre, so when you take a workshop, visit the gallery, shop in the marketplace or attend an event at the Natural Heritage Art Centre, you choose to uphold that vision. We ask that all visitors do so with openness towards people of differing backgrounds, identities, and ways of being in the world and conduct themselves with integrity, respect, and kindness towards all. Any person exhibiting disruptive behavior may be asked to leave and barred from future participation.

PAYMENT & REFUND

Workshops are priced individually. Please visit our WORKSHOP page for fee information and registration. Registration fees will apply for each enrollment and must be paid in advance. Your card will be automatically charged at the time you register.

All class fees are non-refundable upon registration. Staff & Instructors work hard to prepare for workshops and dependable registration counts are critical. With that said, we do understand that things happen. Cancellation requests received fourteen (14) days in advance of the workshop date will receive an account credit to use toward future workshops. After the fourteen (14) days, no refund will be issued.

We are a small arts organization. For all of our workshops we have a minimum number of eight (8) registrants for a workshop to occur. If we need to cancel a workshop due to low enrollment we will contact registrants using the information they provide and give the option of a full refund or issue a credit toward another workshop.

Severe Weather

The Natural Heritage Art Center will base the decision to stay open or to close on information from the National Weather Service and the Department of Transportation. If there is a storm WARNING or “Travel Not Advised” issued, we will close. As soon as the decision has been made to cancel a class we will post on the NHAC website.

The safety of all our guests is the first priority when determining if the Natural Heritage Art Center should stay open in extreme weather. If we cancel a workshop, we will give the option of a full refund or issue a credit toward another workshop.

You have the final decision on whether or not to attend class. If NHAC is open, students are expected to attend and no refunds or credits will be given. However, if you feel you would be in danger you can choose to stay home.

 Covid-19 Protocols

NHAC is committed to ensuring the health and well being and safety of our staff, instructors, students, and visitors. We adhere to the following Covid-19 protocols:

Masks are recommended for indoor classes and programs, but will not be required. We will social distance whenever possible and disinfect our studios regularly.

Visitors will agree to conduct a self-assessment for any symptoms before attending. If you are experiencing symptoms or have been in contact with anyone who tested positive, we ask that you do not come to class and will provide a class credit.

Non-Discrimination

Natural Heritage Arts Centre does not and shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status, in any of its activities or operations. These activities include, but are not limited to, hiring and firing of staff, selection of volunteers and vendors, granting scholarships or financial assistance and provision of services. We are committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming environment for all members of our staff, volunteers, contractors, students, and visitors.

Accessibility

All classes and exhibits are located on our wheelchair accessible ground floor. Natural Heritage Art Center is happy to ensure access to any class, workshop or exhibit. Given prior notice (14 days), we can work to accommodate special accessibility requests. Please email Jessica: naturalheritageartcentre@gmail.com to make a request. If you have a financial barrier to accessing our classes or programs, please contact us to learn about payment plans that may be available.

ATTENDANCE & PUNCTUALITY

Late Arrivals

When students come to class late, it can disrupt the flow of the project, distract other students, impede learning, and generally erode class morale. Moreover, if left unchecked, lateness can become chronic and spread throughout the class. 

NOTE: Any student more than 15 minutes late will not be allowed in the studio. Less than 15 minutes late will be allowed in class the first time only.

Class Location

While most of our classes take place at Natural Heritage Art Centre, some of our classes may take place at other locations in the community. If the location for a particular class is not at the Natural Heritage Art Center that will be noted on the class registration. It is the participant’s responsibility to check the location of their class and arrive at the correct location for the class on time. We will not provide refunds or account credits for a class missed due to the participant going to the wrong location for the class.

CerAMICS & POTTERY

Project Disclaimer

With clay there is always a chance of projects exploding in the kiln or breaking. We try our best to return your projects to you as you created them, however; sometimes things happen that are beyond our control. We sincerely apologize if one of your pieces is damaged in the firing process.

Project Firing & Retrieval

When you take a clay class it is your responsibility to find out if your projects are ready to be picked up. Our goal (not a guarantee) is to have clay projects fired and ready to be picked up 2 weeks after the class was held. Once the clay projects are ready, participants have 14 days to pick up their projects. After 14 days we will re-purpose any projects that were unclaimed.

Ceramic Open Studio Participants

We will only fire pottery pieces that were made in their entirety at Natural Heritage Art Center during open studio time. We cannot fire any pieces made at home, even if they are made with clay purchased from us.

YOUTH WORKSHOPS

Drop-off & Pick-up

It is very important that you drop off and pick up your child at the appointed times. NHAC is not staffed to provide child care outside of the scheduled class times. If a child is to be picked up by someone other than the legal caregiver a staff member must be notified ahead of time.

Youth Behavior Policy

The Natural Heritage Art Centre strives to maintain an environment that is pleasant, safe, fun, and conducive to learning. Visitors are expected to participate in the workshop and treat instructors and classmates with respect. NHAC responds to instances of non-compliant or unsafe behavior in the following ways:

1. Students will be given a verbal warning. The instructor will ask the student to comply with NHAC behavior expectations and will tell them the potential consequences.

2. After a warning has been given, the student will be given a five-minute break away from the class, either in the NHAC lobby or in another part of the classroom. The caregiver will be informed after the workshop.

3. If the disruption is serious, or dangerous, then immediate action will be taken. If the disruptive behavior persists, the instructor will contact the caregiver immediately to remove the visitor from class for the day. If the student is signed up for additional classes that day they may not come back until the following day. Examples of behavior that will result in removal for the day are:

1. Continual disruption after a five-minute break is given.

2. Visible disruption of a fellow classmate's work time.

3. Using direct inappropriate language when interacting with staff and or classmates.

4. Permanent damage to property of NHAC or other students.

5. Refusing to comply, resulting in a disruption of other students' participation.

In extreme cases, the student may be removed from the class, and may not return. Examples of behavior that will result in suspension or permanent removal are:

1. Severe or sustained threats of violence, violence in any manner (hitting, kicking, punching, etc) harassing, taunting, making other students feel unsafe, extreme verbal aggression to staff or classmates, total non-compliance with the class projects, resulting in severe disruption of the class, or requiring the instructor to make several breaks in the lesson.

In the event of removal, the student would not be refunded. NHAC staff will work with the families on an individual basis.

RELEASE AGREEMENT

Display of Artwork Release

I grant permission to the Natural Heritage Arts Centre to display my artwork (with attribution) at NHAC and/or at off-site locations. I understand that the artwork will be returned to me following the close of the exhibit. To opt-out of the display of artwork release, please email naturalheritageartcentre@gmail.com

Photography Release

I grant permission to NHAC to take and use pictures of my child and their artwork to use in print and digital publications and for historical purposes (e.g. brochures, flyers, social media etc). To opt-out of the photo release, please email naturalheritageartcentre@gmail.com