Northwest Pottery Collective

Terms & Conditions

We hope you enjoy your experience at Northwest Pottery Collective, LLC ("Northwest Pottery Collective")! Our goal is to support you in learning and creating beautiful ceramic work in a welcoming, encouraging, respectful, and enjoyable studio space. Please ensure you have read, understood, and accepted these Terms & Conditions before you book a class, camp, workshop, or open studio appointment.

Accepted Contract

Completion of our booking process and authorizing payment constitutes your understanding and acceptance of these Terms & Conditions and forms a binding agreement between you and Northwest Pottery Collective (NPC).

Registration Responsibility

The individual completing the registration represents that they have the authority to register themselves and any additional participants included in the registration, including minor children for whom they are the parent or legal guardian. By completing the registration, the account holder agrees to these Terms & Conditions on behalf of all registered participants and accepts financial responsibility for all fees, charges, and compliance with these Terms & Conditions.

Definitions

For purposes of these Terms & Conditions:

• Participant means any person enrolled in or attending a class, camp, workshop, private lesson, or open studio appointment.

• Member means an individual with an active Northwest Pottery Collective membership.

• Parent/Guardian means the parent or legal guardian responsible for registering a minor participant.

Payment

Payment in full is required at the time of registration for all classes, camps, workshops, private lessons, and open studio appointments. Registration constitutes a commitment to the entire class series, camp, workshop, private lesson, or reserved open studio appointment. Participants may not attend any unpaid session.

We accept payment by credit card only.

All participants (or the parent/guardian of a minor participant) must have an account and a valid credit card on file with Northwest Pottery Collective.

Class, camp, workshop, private lesson, and open studio fees include tuition, a set amount of materials (open studio and private lesson participants must purchase clay separately), and firing costs for a set amount of clay. Participants may purchase additional clay and firing if needed.

Parent/Guardian Responsibility

Parents and legal guardians are responsible for ensuring that minors they register comply with these Terms & Conditions and all instructions provided by Northwest Pottery Collective staff. Parents and guardians remain financially responsible for any fees, charges, or damages resulting from the actions of the minor participant.

Retail

Clay, glazes, tools, and other retail merchandise may be purchased during retail hours by credit card only. We do not accept cash.

Missed Multi-Session Classes

Sometimes serious, unavoidable situations result in missing a class session. Please contact admin@nwpotterycollective.com to determine whether a makeup class may be available during the same week or whether a private lesson may be scheduled (additional fees apply). Makeup classes are not guaranteed.

If a makeup class cannot be arranged, Northwest Pottery Collective may, at its discretion, provide complimentary open studio time equal to the missed instructional hours.

Missed classes may not be carried over to a future session, and refunds, prorated tuition, or account credit are not available for missed class sessions.

Cancellation / No Shows

Enrollment fees are non-refundable.

If you cancel more than seven (7) calendar days before the scheduled start date and time, you will receive account credit for the full tuition amount to be used toward a future class, camp, private lesson, or workshop.

If you cancel within seven (7) calendar days of the scheduled start date and time, you will receive account credit equal to fifty percent (50%) of the enrollment fee.

Participants who fail to attend or provide cancellation notice 24 hours or less before the scheduled start time of any class, camp, private lesson, or workshop will not receive a refund, account credit, or makeup.

Open studio appointments may be cancelled by phone, email, or through the customer portal/app any time before the appointment begins. Cancelled appointments will receive full account credit. Missed open studio appointments (no-shows) are not eligible for refunds, credits, or proration.

Northwest Pottery Collective reserves the right to cancel any class, camp, workshop, private lesson, or open studio appointment due to insufficient enrollment or other operational reasons. Whenever possible, advance notice will be provided.

Participants enrolled in a cancelled session may choose to reschedule, receive account credit, or receive a refund to the original payment method.

Northwest Pottery Collective is not responsible for losses or expenses arising from schedule changes or cancellations.

Account credit has no cash value, is non-transferable, cannot be redeemed for cash except where required by law, and may only be used toward eligible purchases at Northwest Pottery Collective.

Northwest Pottery Collective may make exceptions to these policies at its sole discretion. Any exception made in one circumstance does not create an obligation to make similar exceptions in the future.

Official Communications

Requests regarding cancellations, absences, scheduling changes, account questions, or other administrative matters must be submitted through Northwest Pottery Collective's designated communication channels, including email, phone, or the customer portal/app, unless otherwise instructed by staff. Messages sent through instructors' personal accounts, social media, text messages, direct messages, or other unofficial communication channels are not considered notice to Northwest Pottery Collective. Participants are responsible for ensuring that requests are received through an approved communication method.

Studio Closure

Northwest Pottery Collective shall not be responsible for delays, interruptions, cancellations, or inability to provide services due to circumstances beyond its reasonable control, including but not limited to severe weather, natural disasters, power or utility outages, government orders, public health emergencies, labor disputes, acts of God, or other force majeure events. Northwest Pottery Collective will determine, in its sole discretion, whether affected classes, camps, workshops, or open studio appointments will be rescheduled or refunded in accordance with these Terms & Conditions.

Late Attendance

Participants who arrive more than 10 minutes late may not be permitted to join the session and will not be eligible for a refund, credit, or makeup.

Early Drop-Off / Late Pick-Up

Children must be dropped off and picked up on time. Northwest Pottery Collective may charge an early drop-off or late pick-up fee of $20 for every 10-minute increment before or after the scheduled session.

Participants must leave the studio by closing time. Failure to do so may result in a $20 fee.

Studio Clean-Up

Participants are expected to reserve approximately the final 15 minutes of each session for cleanup.

Participants must clean and towel dry all work surfaces, tools, equipment, and the surrounding floor area before leaving. This is a communal studio, and maintaining a clean environment is everyone's responsibility.

Failure to properly clean the workspace may result in a $20 cleaning fee.

Equipment

Studio equipment must be used and maintained in accordance with studio guidelines.

Participants may use studio equipment and workspace subject to availability. Northwest Pottery Collective cannot guarantee access to specific equipment or work areas.

Technical Issues, Breakage & Loss

Northwest Pottery Collective strives to ensure that only trained staff handle and fire participant work. However, ceramics inherently involve risks of technical failure, breakage, firing defects, and accidental loss for which Northwest Pottery Collective cannot be held responsible.

Removing another participant's work from the studio is grounds for dismissal.

Northwest Pottery Collective reserves sole discretion to determine whether work is suitable for firing.

Firing Expectations

Each piece is fired twice: a bisque firing followed by a glaze firing.

Work may take up to 14 days to complete each firing cycle. The complete firing process may therefore take up to 28 days. Firing schedules depend on drying time, kiln capacity, and production volume and cannot be expedited to meet external deadlines.

Collection of Works

Please collect finished work promptly after you are notified it is ready for pickup.

Finished work not collected within 30 days after notification that it is ready for pickup will be considered abandoned and may be donated, recycled, or discarded.

Outside Work

Participants may not bring work created outside Northwest Pottery Collective—including greenware, bisqueware, or finished ceramic work—for firing or completion at the studio. Violations may result in removal from classes, workshops, camps, or open studio privileges.

Content

Northwest Pottery Collective reserves the right to change the content, schedule, instructor, or location of any class, camp, private lesson, or workshop as necessary.

Northwest Pottery Collective is not responsible for any losses or expenses resulting from such changes.

Mobile Phones

Please keep mobile phones on silent or vibrate while in the studio. If you need to make or receive a call, please step outside. Headphones or earbuds are required when listening to audio.

Studio Security Monitoring

The studio is monitored by staff, security cameras, and our alarm monitoring company. By entering the studio, participants acknowledge that video recording is in use.

Emergencies & Maintenance Issues

Report emergencies or urgent maintenance issues to staff immediately. In the event of a medical emergency or other life-threatening situation, call 911 before notifying staff when appropriate. Non-urgent maintenance concerns may be reported to staff or emailed to admin@nwpotterycollective.com.

Health & Safety

Northwest Pottery Collective takes health and safety seriously. Participants use the studio at their own risk and voluntarily assume the inherent risks associated with ceramics, including but not limited to cuts, burns, lifting injuries, repetitive motion injuries, exposure to clay and silica dust, high temperatures, and breakage or loss of personal property. Participants must comply with all health and safety instructions provided by staff at all times.

Participants must use only clay supplied or approved by Northwest Pottery Collective.

Participants must thoroughly clean all work surfaces and floors, wet-clean dust, wash hands after handling ceramic materials, and follow all studio procedures intended to minimize silica exposure.

Dry sanding indoors is prohibited.

Food, beverages, glass containers, outside alcohol, smoking, vaping, and illegal drug use are prohibited in studio work areas.

Participants may not enter the kiln room.

Studio Environment & Materials

Please recycle and reuse materials whenever possible.

Clay, glaze, and other sedimentary materials must never be poured into studio sinks.

Dispose of materials only in designated containers.

Participants who waste materials excessively or misuse studio resources may incur additional charges or lose studio privileges.

Restrooms

Restrooms are located in the common area outside the studio and are shared with other building tenants. Please clean your hands and wipe your shoes before entering the common areas. Studio equipment and tools may not be cleaned in the restrooms.

Conduct & Exclusion

Participants must treat staff, members, fellow participants, the studio, and common areas with respect.

Disruptive, abusive, threatening, discriminatory, unsafe, or otherwise inappropriate behavior will not be tolerated and may result in immediate removal from the studio without refund.

General Provisions

Northwest Pottery Collective may update these Terms & Conditions for future registrations at any time. If any provision of these Terms & Conditions is determined to be invalid or unenforceable, the remaining provisions shall remain in full force and effect. 

Images for Promotional Purposes

Northwest Pottery Collective may photograph or record participants (including children) during classes, camps, workshops, private lessons, or open studio appointments for promotional purposes. If you do not wish to be photographed or recorded, please notify us in writing before participating.

Acceptance

By registering for or participating in any class, camp, workshop, private lesson, or open studio appointment at Northwest Pottery Collective, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agreed to these Terms & Conditions and authorize Northwest Pottery Collective to charge your credit card for all applicable fees described herein.