Privacy Policy

Privacy Policy 

Culture Counts is the data controller for the personal data described in this policy. If you have any questions, contact us at info@culturecounts.scot. 

What information we collect 

We collect information about you when you apply for membership, register for our events, sign up to our newsletter, or send us an enquiry by email. For Core Members and newsletter subscribers we store your name, organisation name, and email address. We also collect website usage information using cookies. 

Our lawful basis for using your data 

We process your data on the following bases:  

  • Membership and event registration: to perform our contract with you, and our legitimate interest in running our membership organisation. 

  • Newsletter: your consent, which you can withdraw at any time. 

  • Cross Party Group mailing lists: our legitimate interest in running the group. 

 How we use your information 

We use your data to process your membership, register you for events, and send you relevant information. We store your name, organisation name, and email address in a secure online CRM. 

We will not share your information for marketing purposes with companies outside our organisation, and we do not share contact information between members without permission. 

Cookies and analytics 

Culture Counts uses cookies to help our website work and to understand how visitors use it. We use two kinds: 

Essential cookies, needed for the site to function. These do not require your consent. 

Analytics cookies, which let us measure how the site is used so we can improve it. We use Google Analytics for this. 

When you first visit, you will see a cookie banner. Analytics cookies stay switched off unless you accept them, and you can change or withdraw your choice at any time through our cookie settings linked from the bottom of the website home page. The ICO publishes guidance on controlling cookies through your browser at ico.org.uk. 

How we store data and international transfers 

  

We store your personal data in Join It (our CRM), Mailchimp, and Eventbrite. These providers, and Google Analytics, store or process data on servers in the United States. 

Where personal data is transferred outside the UK, we rely on the UK extension to the EU-US Data Privacy Framework (the "UK-US Data Bridge") where the provider is certified under it, or on the International Data Transfer Agreement or standard contractual clauses where it is not. These mechanisms are designed to give your data protection comparable to that under UK law. You can check whether a US provider is certified at the Data Privacy Framework list (dataprivacyframework.gov). 

Marketing and our newsletter 

We keep a mailing list for our monthly newsletter on Mailchimp and Eventbrite. Email addresses and names are added in two ways: 

By using a sign-up form on our website. 

All contacts within member organisations receive the newsletter as part of our membership offer. 

You can opt out at any time by clicking the unsubscribe link at the bottom of every email, or by emailing info@culturecounts.scot. We do not rent or trade email lists with other organisations without your permission. 

Membership 

Our members are arts, heritage, and creative industries organisations in Scotland. When you join, you email us information about your organisation and we update our CRM accordingly. 

Attending our events 

If you register for an event, we store the contact details you provide on Eventbrite so we can send you relevant information about the event. 

Keeping your details up to date 

Membership is renewed annually, and we ask for any new information when you renew. If an organisation's membership is not renewed, all individual names and email addresses are deleted from Join It within 12 months. 

How long we keep your data 

  • Member and event contacts: deleted within 12 months of membership lapsing or the event passing. 

  • Newsletter subscribers: kept until you unsubscribe. 

  • CPG mailing list contacts: kept on file across parliamentary sessions, removed on bounce-back or on request. 

  • Membership invoices and financial records: retained for the period required by our secretariat, the Federation of Scottish Theatre. 

Your rights 

You have the right to access, correct, erase, restrict the use of, port, or object to our use of your personal data. To exercise any of these, email info@culturecounts.scot 

Complaints 

If you have a concern about how we handle your data, please contact us first and we will respond. You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner's Office at ico.org.uk.