Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy explains how Northern Virginia Performing Arts (“we,” “us,” “our,” or the “Company”) collects, uses, shares, and protects information when you visit our website, register for classes, purchase tickets, make a contribution, or otherwise interact with us. By using our website or services, you agree to this Privacy Policy.

01Who We Are

Northern Virginia Performing Arts is a for-profit business [LLC / corporation – confirm entity type] organized under the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia. Our principal place of business is 18665 Conference Center Drive, Leesburg, VA 20175. We currently operate exclusively in Virginia.

To contact us about this Privacy Policy or your personal information:

• Email: info@novapa.org
• Phone: 571-571-2120
• Mail: Northern Virginia Performing Arts, Attn: Privacy, 18665 Conference Center Drive, Leesburg, VA 20175

02Information We Collect

2.1 Information You Provide Directly

We collect information you give us when you create an account, register a student, purchase tickets, make a contribution, complete a form, or contact us. This may include:

• Name, address, email, and phone number of the parent/guardian and student.
• Student information: date of birth, age, school grade, prior performing-arts experience, medical or accommodation notes you choose to share, and emergency contacts.
• Billing information collected through our payment processor (see Section 4).
• Photographs, video, or audio of students captured during classes, rehearsals, and performances (handled in accordance with our Photo and Media Release).
• Communications you send to us, including questions, feedback, or support requests.

2.2 Information Collected Automatically

When you visit our website, we and our service providers automatically collect:

• Device and browser data (type, operating system, language, screen size).
• IP address and approximate location derived from it.
• Pages viewed, links clicked, referring URL, and time spent on pages.
• Cookies, pixels, and similar technologies (see our Cookie Policy).

2.3 Information from Third Parties

We may receive information about you from third parties such as our payment processors (Stripe, HiSawyer, RegPack, Square), email service provider, social media platforms when you interact with our pages, or analytics providers. We do not purchase personal information from data brokers.

03How We Use Your Information

We use personal information to:

• Provide and operate our classes, lessons, productions, ticketed performances, and contribution processing.
• Communicate with you about registrations, schedules, cancellations, billing, and student progress.
• Send marketing emails (only with your consent and only until you unsubscribe).
• Process payments and prevent fraud.
• Monitor, analyze, and improve our website, services, and customer experience.
• Comply with legal obligations and enforce our agreements.

04How We Share Your Information

We do not sell personal information for monetary consideration. We share information only as described below:

4.1 Service Providers

We share information with vendors who perform services on our behalf under contractual confidentiality and security obligations. Categories include:

• Payment processing: Stripe, Inc. or similar payment processors handle all card payments. We never store full card numbers on our systems.
• Email and marketing: Mailchimp, Constant Contact, or similar provider for newsletters and announcements.
• Analytics: Google Analytics 4 to understand site usage in aggregate.
• Advertising: Meta (Facebook/Instagram) pixel for conversion tracking and audience building. You can opt out (see Section 8).
• Hosting and IT services that store and serve our website.

4.2 Legal Reasons

We may disclose information when required by law, subpoena, court order, or to protect rights, property, or safety, or in connection with an investigation of suspected illegal activity.

4.3 Business Transfers

If we are involved in a merger, acquisition, financing, reorganization, or sale of assets, personal information may be transferred as part of that transaction. We will notify you and/or post a notice if your information becomes subject to a different privacy policy.

05Children’s Privacy (COPPA)

We teach minors and routinely process information about students who may be under the age of 13. The federal Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) requires verifiable parental consent before we knowingly collect personal information online from children under 13.

• We collect information about students under 13 only from a parent or legal guardian, who must register the child and consent to our collection and use of the student’s information for the purposes described in this Policy.
• We do not knowingly allow children under 13 to create their own accounts on our website.
• Parents and guardians may review, update, or request deletion of their child’s information by contacting us at the email above. We will respond within thirty (30) days.
• We do not condition a child’s participation in any activity on the disclosure of more personal information than is reasonably necessary.

06Photographs, Video, and Audio of Students

Performing arts education involves photography and video. We capture and use student images for instructional purposes, recital and performance documentation, and promotional materials (website, social media, brochures, advertisements).

• At registration we ask each parent/guardian to sign a Photo and Media Release indicating whether they consent to their student’s image and likeness being used.
• You may withdraw consent at any time by emailing us. Withdrawal applies prospectively; materials already produced or distributed may be impossible to recall.
• We do not tag minors by full name in social media posts without parental consent.

07Cookies and Similar Technologies

Our website uses cookies and similar tracking technologies for essential site functions, analytics, and advertising. For details, see our separate Cookie Policy.

08Your Choices and Privacy Rights

8.1 Marketing Emails

You can unsubscribe from marketing emails at any time using the unsubscribe link in any email or by contacting us. Even if you unsubscribe, we may still send transactional messages relating to classes, payments, and account matters.

8.2 Cookies and Tracking

You can manage cookies through your browser settings or our website cookie banner. You can opt out of Google Analytics by installing the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on. You can opt out of Meta’s targeted advertising in your Facebook and Instagram ad preferences.

8.3 Do Not Track and Global Privacy Control

Our website does not respond to “Do Not Track” browser signals because no industry standard exists. We do honor recognized opt-out preference signals such as Global Privacy Control (GPC) where required by law.

09Virginia Consumer Data Protection Act (VCDPA) Rights

Subject to verification and exceptions in the law, Virginia residents may have the right to:

• Confirm whether we are processing their personal data and access that data.
• Correct inaccuracies in their personal data.
• Delete personal data we have collected.
• Obtain a portable copy of personal data they previously provided.
• Opt out of (a) targeted advertising, (b) the sale of personal data, and (c) certain profiling decisions.

To exercise these rights, contact us at the privacy email above. We will respond within forty-five (45) days. If we deny your request, you may appeal by replying to our denial; we will respond to appeals within sixty (60) days. If your appeal is denied, you may contact the Virginia Attorney General at oag.state.va.us.

We do not knowingly process the personal data of more than 100,000 Virginia consumers, and we do not sell personal data, so certain VCDPA obligations may not apply to us. We provide these rights as a matter of practice regardless.

10Data Security

We use commercially reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards designed to protect personal information, including encrypted connections (TLS/SSL) for all transactions, password protection, and limited employee access on a need-to-know basis. Card payments are processed by Stripe or other payment processors, which is certified to PCI Service Provider Level 1, the most stringent level of certification available in the payments industry. No system is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

11Data Retention

We retain personal information for as long as necessary to provide our services, comply with legal obligations (including tax and accounting), resolve disputes, and enforce our agreements. Student and parent records are typically retained for seven (7) years after the last interaction. Marketing contacts are retained until you unsubscribe.

12Third-Party Links

Our website may link to third-party sites, including ticket fulfillment, social media, and partner organizations. We are not responsible for those sites’ privacy practices. Review their privacy policies before sharing personal information.

13International Users

Our services are intended for residents of the United States, and primarily Virginia and the District of Columbia, Maryland, and West Virginia markets. If you access our website from outside the United States, you do so at your own initiative and are responsible for compliance with local laws.

14Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy. The “Effective Date” at the top of the Policy will indicate when changes were last made. Material changes will be communicated by email or a prominent notice on our website. Your continued use of our services constitutes acceptance of the updated Policy.

15Contact Us