PRIVACY POLICY

WestFest

Privacy Policy

Scottish Charity No. SC052281

Last updated: April 2026

 

WestFest is Glasgow's community and cultural festival, taking place every June across the West End. We are a Scottish registered charity (SC052281) and are committed to protecting the privacy of everyone who interacts with us — whether you attend our events, participate as an artist or organisation, use our website, or contact us directly.

This policy explains what personal data we collect, why we collect it, how we keep it safe, and what your rights are.

 

1. Who we are

WestFest is operated as a Scottish registered charity (SC052281). For the purposes of data protection law, WestFest is the data controller responsible for your personal information.

If you have any questions about this policy or how we handle your data, please get in touch with the team at info@westfest.uk.

 

2. What information we collect

Depending on how you interact with WestFest, we may collect:

  • Your name and contact details (e.g. email address, phone number)
  • Organisation or business name, where applicable
  • Event participation details (e.g. artist/performer submissions, event listing applications, volunteer sign-ups)
  • Advertiser and sponsor information (e.g. business name, contact details, artwork submissions)
  • Photos and videos taken at our events (with consent where required)
  • Website analytics data (e.g. pages visited, approximate location, device type) via cookies and analytics tools
  • Any information you provide when you contact us directly via our website contact form or email

 

3. Why we collect your data

We use your personal information to:

  • Plan, deliver and promote WestFest and its programme of events
  • Communicate with event participants, artists, organisations, advertisers, sponsors, volunteers, and members of the public
  • Process event listing applications, performer submissions, and advertiser agreements
  • Carry out surveys, evaluations, and research to improve the festival
  • Meet our legal, financial, and charitable obligations (including funder reporting)
  • Improve our website and understand how people use it
  • Share news, announcements, and updates about WestFest (with your consent where required)

 

4. Legal basis for processing

We process personal data under the following lawful bases:

 

  • Consent – when you have given us clear permission, for example to receive our newsletter or to be photographed at events.
  • Contract – where processing is necessary to fulfil a contract or agreement, such as event listing agreements or advertiser contracts.
  • Legal obligation – where we are required by law, for example to maintain financial records.
  • Legitimate interests – to operate and promote WestFest as a community charity, provided this does not override your rights and interests.

 

5. How we keep your data safe

We are committed to keeping your personal data secure. We use appropriate technical and organisational measures including:

  • Password-protected systems and secure online storage
  • Restricted access to personal data on a need-to-know basis
  • Regular system updates and security practices
  • Secure handling of physical records where applicable

 

6. How long we keep your data

We only retain your personal information for as long as necessary for the purpose it was collected:

 

  • Event participants, artists and organisations – up to 12 months after the relevant festival, to manage future participation and opportunities.
  • Advertisers and sponsors – for the duration of the agreement plus up to 6 years, to meet our financial and legal obligations.
  • Volunteers – for the period of involvement plus 3 years.
  • Financial records – minimum 6 years, as required by law.
  • Website enquiries and contact form submissions – up to 12 months.

 

7. Sharing your data

We do not sell personal data. We may share data with:

  • Service providers and contractors working on our behalf (e.g. our website provider, design team, or event management platforms)
  • Funders and statutory bodies where required for grant reporting or accountability purposes (e.g. Glasgow City Council, National Lottery)
  • Festival partners and venues, only where necessary and with appropriate safeguards in place

Any third parties we share data with are required to handle it securely and in accordance with data protection law.

 

8. Your rights

Under data protection law, you have the right to:

  • Request a copy of the personal data we hold about you
  • Ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete information
  • Request deletion of your data, where applicable
  • Restrict or object to how we process your data
  • Request that we transfer your data to another provider (data portability)
  • Withdraw consent at any time, where consent is the basis for processing

 

We will respond to any request within one month. To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at info@westfest.uk.

If you are unhappy with how we handle your data, you also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO):

www.ico.org.uk

 

9. Cookies and website analytics

Our website (westfest.uk) uses cookies to improve your experience and help us understand how visitors use the site. This may include analytics tools such as Google Analytics, which collects data such as pages visited, approximate location, and device type.

You can control or disable cookies through your browser settings. You can also opt out of Google Analytics tracking at:

https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout

 

10. Photography and video at events

WestFest events are public and we may take photographs and video footage for promotional and reporting purposes, including for use on our website, social media, and in funding reports.

If you do not wish to be photographed or filmed, please inform a member of the festival team at the event or contact us in advance. For images involving children and young people, we will always seek appropriate parental or guardian consent.

 

11. External links

Our website contains links to external websites — including partner organisations, venues, and event pages. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of those sites. We encourage you to read the privacy policies of any external sites you visit.

 

12. Changes to this policy

We may update this privacy policy from time to time. The most current version will always be available on our website at westfest.uk. If we make significant changes, we will aim to let you know directly where we hold your contact details.

 

 

WestFest is a Scottish Registered Charity – SC052281

westfest.uk  |  info@westfest.uk  |  @westfestgla