Artory Privacy Policy
13 Oct 2026
Your trust matters to us as much as your art does. This policy explains, in plain English, what personal information Artory collects, why, and how we look after it.
Artory Art School is run by me, Anne Smerdon, from the Northern Rivers of NSW, Australia (ABN: 89224884024). When this policy says "we", "us" or "Artory", it means me and the artist-teachers who work with me. It covers our website (artory.com.au), our in-person classes in Murwillumbah , Cabarita & Casuarina, our online courses and the Artory Academy.
We handle your information in line with the Australian Privacy Principles in the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth). We never sell your personal information. Ever.
What information we collect
We only collect what we need to run your classes and keep in touch. That usually includes:
Contact details – your name, email address, phone number and, for physical orders, a delivery address.
Booking and purchase details – the classes, courses, workshops, artworks or materials you buy, and when.
Payment information – processed securely by our payment providers. We never see or store your full card number.
Information you choose to share – anything you'd like your teacher to know (such as access needs), whether you consent to having your photo taken in class.
Your artwork – photos of your work you email to us for feedback or critique.
Messages – emails, enquiries, Zoom critique sessions and course questions.
Website data – basic, non-identifying information like your browser, device and the pages you visit (see Cookies below).
You're welcome to deal with us anonymously or under a pseudonym where that's practical, such as a general enquiry. For bookings, we'll need your real name and contact details.
How we collect it
Mostly, you give it to us directly – when you book a class, buy a course, sign up for our newsletter or freebies, fill in a form, email us or chat with us in class.
Sometimes it comes through the services we use, like our booking and payment platforms, or when you message us on social media.
How we use it
We use your information to:
book you into classes and give you access to online courses and the Artory Academy
process payments, send receipts and deliver anything you've ordered
let you know about class changes, venue updates or cancellations
give you feedback on your artwork and answer your questions
send our newsletter and news about upcoming classes (only if you've signed up)
improve our classes, courses and website
meet our legal, tax and insurance obligations
We won't use your information for anything unrelated without asking you first.
Who we share it with
We only share your information with people and services that help us run Artory, and only as much as they need:
Our teachers – the independent artists who teach some of our classes see the class list and any notes you've shared, so they can look after you in class.
Our website and booking platform – that hosts our website, online store and course pages.
Payment providers – to process payments securely online and in person
Email and newsletter tools
Video tools – for online critique sessions.
Professional advisers – such as our accountant, insurer or lawyer, where needed.
We may also share information if the law requires it. We never sell, rent or trade your personal information.
Photos of you and your artwork
We love celebrating our students' progress, and we sometimes take photos in class to share on our website, newsletter or Instagram.
We'll always ask before sharing a photo where you can be identified, or before sharing your artwork with your name on it. If you'd rather not be photographed, you will mark this on your enrolment form. You can also just let your teacher know – no explanation needed. And if you change your mind later, email us and we'll take the photo down wherever we reasonably can.
Emails and unsubscribing
If you join our mailing list or grab one of our freebies, we'll send you painting tips, inspiration and news about upcoming classes and courses.
You can unsubscribe anytime using the link at the bottom of every email, or by emailing us. We'll still send you essential messages about classes or courses you've booked, like schedule changes.
Cookies and analytics
Our website uses cookies – small files saved by your browser – to keep things working smoothly, like remembering your shopping cart, and to help us understand how people use the site.
We use analytics software to see which pages are popular. This data is grouped together and doesn't tell us who you are. You can block or delete cookies in your browser settings, though some parts of the site may not work as well.
How we store and protect it
We keep your information secure using password-protected accounts and reputable, secure platforms. Paper records, like class sign-in sheets, are kept safely and disposed of securely when no longer needed.
Some of the services we use store data on servers overseas, including in the United States. We choose providers with strong security and privacy practices.
We keep your information only as long as we need it to run your classes and meet our legal obligations (for example, the ATO requires us to keep financial records for five years). After that, we securely delete or de-identify it.
If we ever have a data breach that's likely to cause you serious harm, we'll let you know as soon as possible and tell you what we're doing about it.
Your rights and how to reach us
You can ask to see the personal information we hold about you, ask us to correct it, or ask us to delete it (unless we need to keep it by law). Just email us and we'll respond within 30 days. There's no charge.
If you have a concern about how we've handled your information, please talk to me first – I'd genuinely like the chance to make it right. If you're not happy with my response, you can contact the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner at oaic.gov.au or 1300 363 992.
Contact: Anne Smerdon, Artory Art School
Email: anne@artory.com.au
Location: Northern Rivers, NSW, Australia
Changes to this policy
We may update this policy from time to time, and the latest version will always be on this page.
Last updated: October 2026