Festival Policy

Privacy Policy

The Appalachian Literary Arts Frestival (ALAF) is committed to protecting the privacy and security of our attendees, authors, sponsors, and vendors. This Privacy Policy outlines our practices concerning the collection, use, and disclosure of your information when you use our services through our website, registration process, or any affiliated service we offer.

Information We Collect

Personally Identifiable Information (PII): We collect information that can identify you, such as your name, email address, phone number, and address when you register for the event, sign up for our newsletter, or participate in our promotions. This information is necessary to provide you with services and to enhance your festival experience.

Non-Personally Identifiable Information: We collect non-identifying demographic information (such as age, preferences, or interests) to better understand our audience and tailor our services to user preferences.

Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and other tracking technologies to collect information about your activity, browser, and device. This information helps us improve and personalize our services, understand user behavior, and manage content preferences.

Use of Your Information

To provide, operate, and maintain our services.
To improve, personalize, and expand our services.
To understand and analyze how you use our services.
To develop new products, services, features, and functionality.
To communicate with you, either directly or through one of our partners, including for customer service, to provide you with updates and other information relating to the website, and for marketing and promotional purposes.

To send you emails and newsletters with updates, promotions, and special invitations.

Sharing Your Information

Service Providers: We will not share your information with third-party vendors or service providers that perform services for us.

Legal Compliance and Protection:

We may disclose your information if required to do so by law or in response to valid requests by public authorities (e.g., a court or a government agency). We also reserve the right to disclose your information that we believe, in good faith, is necessary to protect the rights, property, or safety of our festival, our attendees, or others.

Business Transfers: In the event that we undergo a business transition, such as a merger, acquisition by another company, or sale of all or a portion of our assets, your Personal Information may be among the assets transferred.

Security of Your Information

We take reasonable precautions and follow industry best practices to protect your Personal Information and ensure it is not inappropriately lost, misused, accessed, disclosed, altered, or destroyed.

Your Data Rights

Access and Control: You can review, change, or terminate your account at any time. Upon request, we will provide you with information about whether we hold any of your personal information.

Opt-out of Communications: You can opt out of receiving promotional communications from us at any time by following the unsubscribe link in the emails we send, or by contacting us directly.

Cookies and Similar Technologies: You can opt out of being tracked by cookies through your browser settings.

Changes to This Policy

We may update this privacy policy from time to time in order to reflect changes to our practices or for other operational, legal, or regulatory reasons. The updated policy will be posted on this page with an updated “effective date” at the top of this page.

Contact Us

For more information about our privacy practices, if you have questions, or if you would like to make a complaint, please contact us by e-mail at appalachianliteraryarts@gmail.com

Conduct & Community Guidelines

ALAF is a celebration of Appalachia and literature. Harassment, discrimination, or disruptive behavior of any kind will not be tolerated.

Appalachian Literary Arts Festival has a zero tolerance policy for harassment of any kind. Our policy applies to everyone involved—attendees, authors, staff, volunteers, and exhibitors. If you experience or witness harassment, please report it to festival staff immediately. We are committed to creating a safe, inclusive, and welcoming environment for all.

Zero Toleration Policy

Verbal comments or actions that are offensive or intimidating.
Unwelcome physical contact or sexual attention.
Non-consensual photography or recording.
Sustained disruption of talks or other events.
Advocating for, or encouraging, any of the above behavior.

Enforcement

If anyone engages in harassing behavior, event staff retain the right to take any actions necessary to keep the event a welcoming environment for all participants. This includes expelling offenders from the festival with no refund. If you are being harassed, notice someone else being harassed, or have any concerns, please contact a member of festival staff immediately.

Every individual agrees to be respectful to staff, authors, panelists, vendors, and fellow attendees.

Inappropriate, offensive, or unsafe behavior may result in removal from the event without refund.

Media Release

By entering the event premises, you consent to being photographed, filmed, or recorded. Your image, likeness, voice, and statements may be used without compensation in promotional materials, social media, livestreams, and other event-related content by ALAF and its partners.

Health & Safety Waiver

Attendee assumes all risks related to attendance, including potential exposure to COVID-19 or other illnesses.

Attendees are expected to follow all local health and safety regulations at the time of the event, including any mask or vaccination policies that may be in effect.

Liability Waiver

Attendee voluntarily assumes all risks and dangers incidental to the event, whether occurring before, during, or after the event.

By purchasing a ticket, you waive any and all claims against the event organizers, volunteers, vendors, sponsors, venue, and any affiliates or associated parties, for injury, loss, or damage that may result from your attendance.

Accessibility

We are committed to providing an inclusive and accessible experience. If you have specific accessibility needs, please contact us at appalachianliteraryarts@gmail.com at least 30 days prior to the event so we can support you accordingly.

Marketing & Communications Consent

By purchasing a ticket, you agree to receive email communications from the Appalachian Literary Arts Festival related to event updates, programming details, and marketing materials.

You may unsubscribe at any time using the link provided in our emails, but doing so may result in missing important event information.

Consent to Terms

By purchasing a ticket and/or attending the event, you confirm that you have read, understood, and agreed to the above terms and conditions and waiver of liability.