privacy policy

 

17th September 2026, UK GDPR, ICO Certificate: ZB680901

1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 This Privacy Policy explains how Chester Photo Festival Ltd collects, uses, stores and shares personal information through our services and our websites, including https://chesterphotofestival.com and Chester Photo Festival Ltd-operated subdomains, including https://shop.chesterphotofestival.com.

1.2 Our Website and Services may contain links to third-party websites that are not covered by this Privacy Policy. We therefore ask you to review the privacy statements of other websites and applications to understand their information practices.

1.3 Please read this Privacy Policy to understand how and why we process personal information and the rights available to you.

1.4 We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Where appropriate, material changes will be brought to your attention. The current version and date will be published on this page.

1.5 Our processing of personal data is based on the lawful bases described in this Privacy Policy. Where consent is required, we will ask for it separately.

1.6 You have the right to make a complaint at any time to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), the UK supervisory authority for data protection issues (www.ico.org.uk). We would, however, appreciate the chance to deal with your concerns before you approach the ICO, so please contact us in the first instance.

1.7 It is important that the personal data we hold about you is accurate and current. Please keep us informed if your personal data changes during your relationship with us. If you have any comments on this Privacy Policy, please email them to admin@chesterphotofestival.com.

 

2. WHO WE ARE

2.1 Here are our details:

  • Company Name: CHESTER PHOTO FESTIVAL Ltd 
  • ICO Certificate: ZB680901 
  • Website addresses: https://chesterphotofestival.com and Chester Photo Festival Ltd-operated subdomains, including https://shop.chesterphotofestival.com 
  • Email address: info@chesterphotofestival.com 
  • Telephone number: 07949 066 406 
  • Availability: From Monday to Wednesday, 10:00 am – 1:00 pm GMT (UK, London Time). Alternatively, you can email us to schedule a call by advance booking only.
  • Registered address: 71-75 Shelton Street, Covent Garden, London, United Kingdom, WC2H 9JQ 
  • Trademarks: Our trading name, CHESTER PHOTO FESTIVAL, is a registered trademark under No. UK00003967118 (12 January 2024), No. UK00004002121 (19 April 2024), and No. UK00004203341 (8 August 2025).
  • Data Protection Officer (DPO): Mrs Daniela Visan, who can be contacted at admin@chesterphotofestival.com.

2.2 We respect your right to privacy and will only process personal information about you or provided by you in accordance with the Data Protection Legislation which for the purposes of this Privacy Policy shall mean: (i) the UK GDPR, (ii) the Data Protection Act 2018 and any other national implementing laws, regulations and secondary legislation, as amended or updated from time to time, in the UK.

 

3. WHAT WE MAY COLLECT

3.1 Personal data, or personal information, means any information about an individual from which that person can be identified. It does not include data where the identity has been removed (anonymous data).

3.2 We may collect, use, store and transfer different kinds of personal data about you, grouped as follows:

  • Identity Data: Includes first name, last name, username or similar identifier.
  • Contact Data: Includes billing address, invoicing address, delivery address, email address and telephone numbers.
  • Payment Data: Includes information relating to payments and transactions. Payments made through Square are processed using Square's payment systems. Chester Photo Festival Ltd does not need to receive or store full payment-card credentials in order to fulfil an ordinary Square Online order.
  • Transaction Data: Includes details about payments and other details of our Services you have purchased from us.
  • Technical Data: Includes IP address, login data, browser type and version, time zone setting and location, operating system and platform and other technology on the devices you use to access this Website.
  • Profile Data: Includes your username, reservations, interests, preferences, feedback and survey responses.
  • Usage Data: Includes information about how you use our Website and Services.
  • Marketing and Communications Data: Includes your preferences in receiving the Chester Photo Festival newsletter and your specific communication preferences as defined in Section 12 of our Terms and Conditions.
  • Interaction Data: Includes information you provide to discussion forums on the Website or via live chat (WhatsApp).
  • Cookies Data: We use "cookies" to enhance your experience. Please refer to our Cookie Policy.

  • Order and Fulfilment Data: Includes order details, purchased products or services, shipping or collection information, order numbers, customer instructions and communications relating to fulfilment.

  • Printing and Production Data: Where you use our printing services, this may include artwork or image files, file-transfer links, print dimensions, paper selections, margins, quantities, colour or production specifications, proofing information and other instructions necessary to produce your order.

3.3 Third-Party Service Providers: We use third-party providers where necessary to operate our services. These may include Square for payments, online ordering and related commerce services; Mailchimp for newsletter communications; Google services for analytics or authorised operational purposes; and file-transfer or cloud-storage services where these are used for customer submissions or printing workflows. Other providers may be used where necessary for particular events or services.

3.4 Aggregated Data: We collect, use and share statistical or demographic data. While derived from your personal data, it is not considered personal data in law as it does not directly or indirectly reveal your identity.

3.5 Special Categories: We do not collect any Special Categories of Personal Data (race, religion, health, etc.) or information about criminal convictions.

3.6 Lawful Bases: Depending on the processing activity, we may rely on:

  • Contract - where processing is necessary to process an order, booking, submission or service, arrange payment, printing, delivery or collection, or otherwise perform our agreement with you.

  • Legal obligation - where information must be retained or processed to comply with applicable legal, accounting or regulatory obligations.

  • Legitimate interests - where necessary for proportionate administrative, security, fraud-prevention, operational or organisational purposes and where those interests are not overridden by your rights.

  • Consent - where required, including certain marketing, newsletter or technology uses. Consent may be withdrawn where applicable.

 

4. HOW WE MAY COLLECT AND USE YOUR DATA

4.1 We collect data via direct interactions (filling in forms, correspondence by post, phone, email, or WhatsApp). This includes data provided when you use Services, create an account, enter a competition/conference, or give feedback.

4.2 Usage Purposes: We use information to personalise your experience, deliver content, administer site features, and carry out our contracts with you. During the curatorial and organisational stage, further technical or logistical data may be processed and reflected in your Invoice.

4.3 Online Shop and Order Fulfilment: We process information necessary to accept and administer orders placed through our online shop, process payments, communicate about orders, arrange shipping or collection, handle returns or refunds and maintain appropriate transaction records.

4.4 Printing Services: Where you purchase or request printing services, we may process artwork files, file-transfer links, specifications and production instructions solely as necessary to assess, produce, proof, fulfil and communicate with you about the relevant printing order. Files may be supplied through a separate submission or file-transfer method where appropriate.

4.5 Communications: We may send service communications where necessary to administer an order, booking, submission or other relationship. Marketing communications are handled separately. Where we rely on consent, we will obtain a clear opt-in. Where the electronic-marketing "soft opt-in" applies, we will only use it where the legal requirements are met, including providing a clear opportunity to opt out when contact details are collected and in every subsequent marketing communication.

4.6 Withdrawal: You may exercise the data-protection rights available to you under applicable law, including requesting access, correction, erasure, restriction or objection where those rights apply. Some information may need to be retained where required for contractual, legal, accounting or other lawful purposes.

 

5. UNDER 18s

5.1 Some Chester Photo Festival activities may be open to people under 18 where expressly stated. Where appropriate, we may require consent or involvement from a parent or guardian and will process only the personal information reasonably necessary to administer that participation.

5.2 We do not knowingly collect personal information from children where the relevant activity is not intended or permitted for them.

 

6. NEWSLETTER AND MARKETING

6.1 Legal Basis: Where consent is required for newsletter or electronic marketing communications, we rely on a clear and separate opt-in or another lawful basis permitted by applicable electronic-marketing law.

6.2 Service Provider (Mailchimp): We use Mailchimp (a trading name of Rocket Science Group LLC) as our marketing automation platform. By subscribing, you acknowledge that the information you provide will be transferred to Mailchimp for processing in accordance with their privacy practices.

6.3 International Data Transfers: As Mailchimp is located in the United States, your data will be transferred outside the UK. We ensure these transfers are protected by appropriate legal safeguards, specifically the UK-US Data Bridge and Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs), to ensure your data remains protected to UK standards.

6.4 Tracking Technologies: Our emails sent via Mailchimp may contain 'web beacons' or 'pixels' that track whether an email is opened or if links are clicked. This data is used in an aggregated format to help us improve the relevance of our festival communications.

6.5 Right to Withdraw: You have the right to withdraw consent at any time. As outlined in Section 12.2 of our Terms and Conditions, you may use the ‘unsubscribe’ link in our emails or contact info@chesterphotofestival.com to be removed immediately.

6.6 Retention: We will retain your email address for as long as your subscription is active. If you unsubscribe, we will retain your email on a 'suppression list' to ensure we respect your request and do not contact you again.

 

7. COOKIES

7.1 We use cookies and similar technologies as described in our Cookie Policy. That policy explains the technologies used, their purposes and the controls available to you.

 

8. WHERE WE STORE YOUR DATA AND SECURITY

8.1 We may transfer your collected data to storage outside the UK. We take all reasonable steps to ensure it is treated as safely and securely as it would be within the UK and under the UK GDPR.

8.2 Security Measures: We have physical, electronic and managerial procedures to safeguard data. Access is limited to those with a business "need to know" who are subject to a duty of confidentiality. We have procedures to deal with suspected data breaches and will notify you and the regulator where legally required.

8.3 Encryption: Any payments made by you will be encrypted. We have implemented security measures such as a firewall to maintain a high level of security.

8.4 Retention: We retain personal information only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purpose for which it was collected and for applicable legal, accounting, regulatory or dispute-resolution requirements. Different categories of information may therefore have different retention periods.

Transaction and accounting records may be retained for the period required for applicable financial and legal obligations. Printing artwork files and production materials are not intended to be retained indefinitely and will be deleted when they are no longer reasonably required for production, fulfilment, quality control, dispute resolution or another lawful purpose.

8.5 Disposal: Digital information is securely deleted or overwritten. Paper documents are destroyed permanently and securely by shredding.

 

9. DISCLOSING YOUR INFORMATION

9.1 We may disclose your information if we sell the business, to other businesses in our group, for legal obligations, or for fraud protection and credit risk reduction. Third parties are only permitted to use data for the purpose of fulfilling their contract with us.

 

10. YOUR RIGHTS

10.1 Under UK GDPR, you have the right to:

  • Request access to, correction of, or erasure of your personal data, where those rights apply.
  • Data portability (transfer of data).
  • Be informed of processing activities.
  • Restrict or object to processing.
  • Complain to a supervisory authority.

 

11. LINKS TO OTHER SITES

11.1 Our terms and policies do not apply to other websites accessed via a link from our Website. We advise you to check their privacy policies before providing data.

 

12. CHANGES

12.1 If we change our Privacy Policy, we will post the changes on this page.

 

13. AUTOMATED DECISION-MAKING AND PROFILING

13.1 If we use personal data for automated decision-making that has a significant effect on you, you have the right to challenge the decision and request human intervention.

 

14. TERMS AND CONDITIONS

14.1 Please also visit our Terms and Conditions section establishing the use, disclaimers, and limitations of liability governing the use of our Website.

 

15. DISPUTE RESOLUTION

15.1 We will use our best efforts to negotiate in good faith and settle any dispute that may arise out of or relate to this Privacy Policy.

15.2 Any dispute shall not affect our ongoing obligations.

15.3 This Privacy Policy shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of England and Wales.

 

16. HOW TO COMPLAIN

16.1 If you have any concerns about our use of your personal information, you can make a complaint to us at:

  • CHESTER PHOTO FESTIVAL Ltd
  • ICO Certificate: ZB680901
  • Data Protection Officer (DPO): Mrs Daniela Visan DPO
  • Email: admin@chesterphotofestival.com,
  • Telephone: 07949 066 406 

16.2 You can also complain to the ICO if you are unhappy with how we have used your data.

The ICO’s address: Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF Helpline number: 0303 123 1113 ICO website: https://www.ico.org.uk.

Chester photo festival

 

It was founded in September 2023 and is available to public from 1st May 2024.

The 1st edition of the annual Chester Photo Festival is expected to take place in May 2025, after one year of work.