At Sweda Studio, we want you to have a fun, creative time in a safe, inclusive environment. Please read our Terms and Conditions before booking a class, becoming a member, or joining us for a workshop.

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 Sweda Studio

Payment

Classes are paid for in full before the class begins and we do require you to commit to a whole term of classes.

Payment of the full class, workshop or course fees is 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.

If you cannot pay for the class in full at the beginning, please talk to the owner, Rebekah Sweda, to figure out how to make it work for you.

Class, workshop or course fees includes tuition, one 25lbs bag of clay, access to studio glazes, and firing costs. If someone goes through a bag of clay, they must pay for another bag from the studio.

Cancellation

Cancellations must be made in writing, by post or email. Cancellations will be subject to the following fees:

For class and workshop cancellations:

Cancellations 5 days or more before its start date, reimbursement will be in full.

Cancellations during the middle of a session, or if a participant fails to attend any class, is no reimbursement.

There are no make up opportunities for missed classes.

For Membership cancellations:

Cancellations 5 days before a membership month begins or membership renewal will be fully reimbursed

Cancellations during the middle of a month, there is no reimbursement.

Transfers

Requests to transfer to an alternative class, workshop or course or date must be made in writing by post or email. Transfers may be made, if places are available, up to 7 days before the class, workshop or course start date and will incur no additional fee.

However, transfers are subject to availability and The Clay Studio is not obliged to ensure suitable alternatives are available. A booking can only be transferred on one occasion. Requests for subsequent transfers will be treated as cancellations.

Missing Classes

Sometimes serious unavoidable illnesses, accidents, hospital appointments, funerals, emergencies, etc. are difficult to foresee and understandably require adjustment.

However, absence due to anything else such as social events, holidays, appointments, child-related activities, lunches, isolating, etc. cannot be catered for as it is unfair on others in other classes who end up with overloaded classes.

Let your instructor know about the missed class before, if you can so we can help accommodate. Otherwise there is no way to make up missed classes

Missed time cannot be carried over to another class.

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 such as Covid-19 we’re afraid we are not able to offer any refunds.

Content

Sweda Studio reserves the right to change the content, timing, date, venue or teacher of any class, workshop or course in order to provide a high quality service or where it is necessary for reasons beyond our control.

The Clay Studio reserves the right to cancel a class, workshop or course up to and including the date of the class, workshop or course if insufficient bookings have been received, and will strive to give as much notice of this as possible.

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

Late Attendance

Students late to a class will not be given extra time at the end of a class to make up for time lost. The teacher can help in any way they would like but if a student misses demonstrations, that is on the student and the teacher does not need to redo a demo.

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.

Sweda 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, 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.

Most ceramic materials (clay and glazes) are made from finely ground minerals and if not handled correctly can pose a general respiratory risk. Hence, students are asked to refrain from using spray or “bubble” methods for all application of slips, oxides and glazes.

Clays other than those provided by Sweda 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.

Students are required to keep all surfaces clean of clay and glaze and to clean all areas including the floor around their work area thoroughly before completing their class. This also minimises the risks to students caused by breathing in clay and dusts.

In the interests of safety and hygiene, no crockery, glass or food are permitted in the Studio working areas.

Students must use the main entrance to the Studio when entering or leaving the Studio. In the event of a fire, students are asked to make their way to the nearest available exit.

Smoking is forbidden in the Studio.

Technical issues and breakages

Sweda 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 cannot be held in any way responsible.

If a student damages any Sweda Studio equipment such as, the kiln, a wheel, the sink, or any part of the building, they will be held liable to help pay for damages.

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 3 months of the end of the class, workshop or course we will sadly have to dispose of it.

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. We may also be having a meeting, between classes, so please do not enter if you arrive early.

There is street parking as well as you can park at the farmer’s market on occasion.

Studio Clean-up

All working areas and tools must be cleaned after use. The last 15 minutes of all studio classes is dedicated to gathering tools and cleaning work tables, floors, tools, and other equipment for each individual student’s work area. This is a communal studio and its cleanliness depends on everyone doing their part.

A good rule of thumb: When you are done it should be cleaner then when you started. No Exceptions please. If you don’t have time to clean up, then you don’t have time to do it!

Environment and Recycling

We try to run as a zero waste studio. All materials are reused or recycled wherever possible. Clay, glaze and sedimentary materials are never to be poured down sinks in the studio.

Please ensure that the correct bins are used when disposing of any materials.

Conduct and Exclusion

Disruptive or abusive behaviour will not be tolerated. Users of Sweda Studio’s 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 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.

Images for promotional purposes

Sweda 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 web site, Instagram or other medium 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 signing up for a class. By signing up for a class, you agree to have read, understood and accepted our Terms and Services.