We're excited to have you join us at Chelsea Art Studio. Our mission is to provide a supportive environment where you can create beautiful work while fostering collaboration, inclusivity, and plenty of fun. Before booking a class, workshop, or course, please take a moment to review, understand, and accept our Terms & Conditions. We want to ensure you have the best possible experience with us.

Contract of Sale

Completion of our booking process and making a deposit or full payment constitutes your understanding and acceptance of our terms and conditions and thus forms your contract with Chelsea Art Studio.

Payment

Class fees are made in advance and should be made at the time of placing a booking. It is not normally possible to attend unless full payment has been received. However, we are flexible and are happy to make concessions.

The class fees include materials, firing and teacher support.

Missing Classes

Sometimes unavoidable illnesses, accidents, health-related appointments, and emergencies are difficult to foresee or avoid and can mean missing your class. In these situations, please reach out to us as soon as possible by emailing Info@emiliecostedesigns.com. Our team will do their best to accommodate you by rescheduling you for another class. 

Cancellation

Cancellations for all classes, workshops and courses must be made in writing, by email at Info@emiliecostedesigns.com. Cancellations will be subject to the following fees:

• If the participant fails to attend any class with no cancellations prior to the start of the class, we regret to inform that refunds will not be provided.
• Cancellations within 24 hours of the start of class, or a Kiln booking our team will do their best to accommodate you by rescheduling you for another class or refunding the client. 

Substitution

A substitute attendee may be named by the booking party at any time before a workshop. 

Transfers

Requests to transfer to an alternative class or date must be made by email or phone call. Transfers may be made, if places are available, up to 24 hours before the class, workshop or course start date and will incur no additional fee.

However, transfers are subject to availability and Chelsea Art Studio is not obliged to ensure suitable alternatives are available.

Studio Closure

If the studio is forced to close due to factors outside of our control such as severe weather conditions, force majeure, or an infectious disease we will do our best to reschedule you for another class at your preferred time or offer a refund.

Content

Chelsea Art Studio reserves the right to cancel a class or workshop if insufficient bookings have been received and will strive to give as much notice as possible.

Individuals booked onto a canceled class, workshop or course will be given the option of a full refund or of rescheduling to a future class. Chelsea Art Studio will not be liable for any losses or expenses arising from amendments to the class, workshop or course or cancellations.

Late Attendance

While we understand that unforeseen circumstances may arise, students are responsible for their punctuality. We allow students to arrive late at their discretion; however, please note that late arrivals do not entitle individuals to a refund or compensation of any kind.

Health and Safety

Users of the studio do so at their own risk with awareness of the inherent hazards of a pottery studio environment. E.g. The presence of Oxides.

Chelsea Art Studio takes a serious approach towards health and safety for the sake of all staff and students. Students use the studio at their own risk, with awareness of the inherent hazards of a Studio environment, which include, but are not limited to, the use of sharp tools and sharp edges, exposure to toxic materials, the dangers of using materials and equipment at high temperatures, and the risks associated with breathing dust.

Clays other than those provided by Chelsea Art Studio shall not be used in the studio to avoid contamination of surfaces and equipment.

Students must comply with all health and safety instructions given by staff at all times.

Chelsea Art Studio shall not held responsible in the event of an injury caused in the premises and/or student(s) failure to adhere to the safety guidelines.

Should any repairs be the result of any student(s) conduct and/or failure to adhere to the safety guidelines they may be liable for associated costs. 

Students must use the main entrance to the Studio when entering or leaving the Studio. Fire exits, which are clearly marked, are there in the interests of safety and students must not interfere with these exits for any reason. In the event of a fire, students are asked to make their way to the nearest available exit.

Smoking and vaping is forbidden in the Studio.

Health and Safety Guidelines 

Clay, glazes and other materials found within a ceramic studio contain Silica which is a harmful substance. When clay dries out, dust can form and become airborne causing you to breathe it into your lungs which cannot filter it out. Long term exposure to this dust can result in Silicosis and other associated lung diseases. 

Here is what to do to minimise exposure:

• Clean your work area with water at the end of your session. This includes tools and equipment, tables, walls and floor.
• Do not create dust: do not sand dry clay – use a wet sponge. If you have to sand bisque ware or plaster use wet-and-dry sand paper and lots of water (immerse object in the bucket filled with water).
• Never sweep the studio. Use the bucket and the mop and change the water frequently.
• Do not dry fettle - fettling is when you tidy up pieces by shaving or trimming off excess clay with a grater, metal kidney, metal tool etc. Only fettle clay when it is leather hard. If your piece is bone dry and you really want to neaten it up, use a damp sponge.
• If you’re using dry materials (e.g. powdered oxides, dry glaze materials etc.) please ensure the windows are open and you or anyone else who is around you in the studio while you’re using them are wearing respirators with particulate filters.

Other health and safety notes in the studio:

• All glazes in the studio are safe to the best of current knowledge and do not contain lead or barium. Please read the list of ingredients when purchasing ceramic glazes or colourants.
• Do not load/unload/operate or remove anything from the kilns. A technician will do this. Please also ensure you don't leave anything around or on the kiln. 
• Do not operate any of the machines in the studio without the supervision of the technician on duty or without a proper induction.
• Ensure that the floorway and routes to the fire exit are not cluttered - keep a tidy workspace.
• Use a trolley to move heavy objects and materials. 
• In case of an accident please inform the teacher/technician on duty. 

Technical issues and breakages

Chelsea Art Studio will try to ensure that experienced and trained staff are the only people who will handle and fire your ceramic work. However, by the very nature of ceramics, especially within a teaching studio, there is always a risk of technical failure, occasional technical errors and breakages  for which we can only offer a 10%  refund  and cannot assume further responsibility beyond that. We are not responsible for variations of glaze finish,

If your work causes any damage to the kiln (shelf, elements, ceramic bricks, thermocouple etc.) you will be liable for repair costs or replacements.

Collection of Works

We recommend you collect your finished work as soon as possible after your class, workshop or course to help keep our storage area clear therefore avoiding damage. If finished ceramic work is not collected within 2 months of the end of the class, workshop or course we will sadly have to dispose of it.

If you attend a class, workshop or course from further afield we can package and post the item for you, if you provide us with a prepaid label and suitable packaging, but we cannot accept any responsibility for damage in transit.

Arriving at the studio

We generally open the doors a few minutes before each class is due to start. Please do not turn up too early as you may have to wait while we finish cleaning or preparing the studio for your class to start.

Conduct and Exclusion

Disruptive or abusive behaviour will not be tolerated. Users of the Chelsea Art Studio and facilities must be respectful and courteous at all times. Inappropriate behaviour will not be tolerated, and we reserve the right to exclude any offending parties from the studio at any time if the behaviour in our opinion is deemed dangerous, inappropriate or causes (or has the potential to cause) offence, harm or injury.

Data Protection

Any personal information you give to us will be processed in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998. We will use the information to process your booking, to provide the class, workshop or course and to inform you about similar classes, workshops or courses which we provide, unless you tell us that you do not want to receive this information. Any personal data you provide will be held in computer storage.

Applicable Law and Jurisdiction

These terms and conditions are governed by and construed in accordance with English law and any dispute arising out of or in connection with them shall be settled by the English courts.

Images for promotional purposes

Chelsea Art Studio has the right to take and use images of you as an attendee, of any class or event, for the purposes of promotion via the website, Instagram or other mediums for the benefit solely of the said business. Please inform us if you do not wish to use any images of you.

Please ensure you have read and understood these Terms and Conditions before the end of your 7-day cooling off period. By passing this period you are deemed to have read, understood and accepted them.

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KILN HIRE T&C’S

By purchasing this course you are agreeing to the terms, conditions and guidelines set out in this document. 

Booking Overview:

Please arrive on time for your kiln loading session. You are allocated 40 minutes to finish loading your kiln. Please let us know if you are running late and we will try and accommodate but the technician reserves the right to refuse to load in case of any late arrivals. 

You will need to be present for the loading of your work. There will always be someone  present to assist if you require it. 

To help the kiln load run smoothly please come prepared:

• Fill out the “kiln firing” form with the relevant details such as type of clay and kiln temp in advance.
• Anything wet will not be allowed in the kiln as it will damage the elements.
• Please provide your own sacrificial clay slabs or tiles to fire under any hazardous pieces.
• Make sure to properly wipe any bases from glaze in advance.
• We cannot store large amounts of packaging. For more information please refer to “Storage & Glazing”.

Please note that we cannot fire anything that creates a vast amount of smoke: paper clay, clay with organic materials, newspaper et.c. 

Please get in touch in advance if you have any concerns or questions and we will try and help you as best as we can.

Collection of works:

Depending on the size of your kiln, your fired work will be ready for collection 1-3 days after your firing. You will be given a pickup slot after the loading of your kiln. 

In the majority of cases the kiln will be unloaded together with the technician at the pre-organised pick up time.  There may be some cases though when the studio is exceptionally busy and we will need to unload your work ourselves to prepare for the next firing. In these cases we will store it on a designated shelf ready for your pickup. 

Please bring bags or boxes for transportation when you come and collect your work. Each maker is responsible for packing their own work.

Any works abandoned for more than 2 weeks after the agreed pick up time will get destroyed and recycled.

Storage and glazing

If you require storage for a large amount of packaging, fired work or anything else - we can provide it for an extra fee.

If after the bisque firing you need desk space to glaze your work in our studio - book it by the hour. Please, bring your own glaze, tools, materials. This is subject to availability and pre-booking is required,

£35.00 per hour for ½ a table and £50 per hour for a full table.

T&C Changes

We may, at our discretion, review and amend our terms and conditions at any time. In the event of this, we will send an updated copy to all existing members and upload it to our website