Privacy at a glance
We collect the information needed to review submissions, administer competitions, confirm finalists, present selected work, and operate the website. We do not sell personal information. Artists retain copyright in their artwork.
Scope and who controls your information
This Privacy Policy applies to information processed by Meridian Art Circle, operating as Meridian Arts Circle (“Meridian,” “we,” “us,” or “our”), through this website, Meridian competition forms, finalist communications, payments, and online exhibitions.
For personal information submitted directly to Meridian, Meridian is generally the organization deciding why and how that information is used. Some providers, including Fillout and payment processors, also process information under their own terms and privacy policies.
Information we collect
Information you provide
- Identity and contact information: name, email address, location, age or eligibility confirmation, website, and social-media links.
- Artist and artwork information: biography, artist statement, artwork title, medium, dimensions, year, description, image files, and other submission details.
- Competition information: selected call, application responses, eligibility confirmations, finalist acceptance, exhibition credits, and communications.
- Transaction information: finalist-fee status, amount, date, processor reference, and refund information. Meridian does not intend to receive or store full payment-card numbers.
- Messages: information you provide when requesting support, exercising privacy rights, or otherwise contacting Meridian.
Information collected automatically
The website and its providers may collect IP address, browser and device information, approximate location derived from IP address, referring page, pages viewed, timestamps, error logs, and cookie or similar identifiers needed for security, performance, form functionality, and—if enabled—analytics.
Sources of information
We receive information directly from you, automatically from your browser or device, and from service providers that help operate the website, application forms, email communications, storage, and finalist payments. We may also receive publicly available professional information when needed to verify an artist or properly credit selected work.
How we use information
- Receive, organize, review, and evaluate competition applications.
- Confirm eligibility and communicate application or finalist status.
- Process the $15 finalist fee when an invited artist accepts.
- Conduct final judging and administer awards, citations, and Circle Selections.
- Create online exhibitions, archives, credits, announcements, and related promotion.
- Respond to questions, rights requests, disputes, and technical problems.
- Protect the website, artists, rights holders, and competition integrity.
- Maintain business, tax, accounting, and legal records.
- Send marketing communications only when permitted and provide an unsubscribe option.
- Understand and improve website performance and application experience.
Legal bases for processing
Where laws such as the GDPR require a legal basis, Meridian processes personal information as necessary to perform or prepare to perform an agreement with you; pursue legitimate interests such as administering calls, reviewing work, protecting the service, and maintaining exhibition records; comply with legal obligations; and act with your consent where consent is required.
You may withdraw consent for future processing when consent is the applicable basis. Withdrawal does not make earlier lawful processing unlawful and may affect Meridian’s ability to provide an optional service.
When information may be disclosed
Meridian may disclose information only as reasonably necessary to:
- Service providers: Fillout, website hosting and WordPress providers, email services, cloud storage, payment processors, and technical-support providers.
- Reviewers and contractors: jurors, curators, and administrative contractors who need the information to perform their roles.
- Public exhibition audiences: artist name, professional links, biography, artist statement, artwork image, title, medium, dimensions, year, and awarded distinction when work is selected for public presentation.
- Legal and safety purposes: courts, regulators, law enforcement, rights holders, or others when reasonably necessary to comply with law, enforce terms, investigate fraud, protect rights, or address safety and security.
- Business transition: a successor or adviser involved in a merger, reorganization, financing, sale, or transfer of Meridian, subject to appropriate confidentiality and applicable law.
Meridian does not sell personal information or share it for cross-context behavioral advertising. If those practices change, this policy and any legally required opt-out mechanism will be updated before the change applies.
Artwork, finalist information, and public exhibitions
Preliminary submissions are reviewed privately by Meridian and authorized reviewers. If you accept a finalist invitation, relevant submission information may be shared with final reviewers.
If your work receives the Meridian Award, an Axis Citation, or a Circle Selection, the exhibition is intended to be public. Your artist name, professional information, artwork image and details, statement, and distinction may therefore appear on the website, exhibition archive, email announcements, and Meridian social channels.
Artists retain copyright. The permission Meridian receives to display and promote selected work is described in the Terms and Conditions.
Fillout forms
Meridian uses Fillout to collect application information and artwork uploads. When you use an embedded or linked Fillout form, information is transmitted to and processed through Fillout’s systems. Fillout may also collect technical information needed to operate and secure the form.
Meridian may export or copy responses into its working records. A deletion request may therefore require removal from both Fillout and any Meridian storage or service to which the response was copied, subject to legal and archival exceptions.
Finalist payments
If you accept a finalist invitation, payment is processed by a third-party payment provider. Meridian generally receives confirmation of payment, transaction identifiers, amount, date, and limited billing information, but does not intend to receive full payment-card numbers or security codes.
How long information is retained
Meridian retains information only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes described in this policy, including administering the competition, communicating results, maintaining appropriate business and legal records, resolving disputes, and protecting rights.
Unselected application records may be deleted or anonymized when they are no longer needed. Financial records may be retained for the period required by tax, accounting, and payment laws. Public exhibition pages, artist credits, and award records may be retained long-term as part of Meridian’s historical archive, subject to applicable rights and reasonable correction or removal requests.
Your privacy rights and choices
Depending on where you live and which laws apply, you may have the right to request access to personal information, correct inaccurate information, request deletion, restrict or object to certain processing, receive a portable copy, withdraw consent, and appeal or complain to a privacy regulator.
California residents may also have rights to know, delete, correct, opt out of sale or sharing, limit certain uses of sensitive information, and receive equal service when exercising privacy rights. Meridian does not currently sell personal information or share it for cross-context behavioral advertising.
To submit a request, email hello@meridianartcircle.com. Describe the request and the email address used for your application. Meridian may ask for reasonable information to verify identity and protect submission records. Authorized agents may be required to provide proof of authority.
You may unsubscribe from marketing emails through the unsubscribe link. Administrative messages about an active application, finalist invitation, payment, or exhibition may still be sent when necessary.
International processing
Meridian and its providers may process information in countries other than the country where you live. When required, Meridian will rely on an appropriate legal mechanism and reasonable safeguards for international transfers.
Security
Meridian uses reasonable administrative, technical, and organizational measures intended to protect information against unauthorized access, loss, misuse, or alteration. No website, transmission, or storage system can be guaranteed completely secure.
Do not submit passwords, government identification numbers, financial-account credentials, health records, or other sensitive information unless Meridian specifically requests it for a lawful and clearly explained reason.
Children’s privacy
Meridian competitions are intended for adults aged 18 or older unless a particular call expressly states otherwise. Meridian does not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child has submitted personal information, contact us so it can be reviewed and deleted when appropriate.
Third-party links
The website may link to artist websites, social platforms, payment services, or other third-party sites. Their privacy practices are controlled by those third parties, not Meridian. Review their policies before providing information.
Changes to this policy
Meridian may update this policy as its practices or legal obligations change. The effective date will be revised when an updated policy is posted. If a change materially affects how existing information is used, Meridian will provide additional notice when required.
Contact Meridian
Questions or privacy requests may be directed to:
Meridian Arts CircleOperated by Meridian Art Circle
Email: hello@meridianartcircle.com