Privacy Policy

We are committed to protecting your personal information. We aim to be clear, honest and open in the way we collect and use your data, use it in ways you should reasonably expect us to, and to stop using it should you request us to, or after you cease to engage with us for a reasonable length of time. This statement sets out the ways in which Opera UK uses your data and how you can hold us accountable for that.

Our promise to you is that we will use any personal data in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR, 2018), Data Protection Act (2018) and the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (PECR, 2003). 

Personal data for these purposes means any information relating to an identified or identifiable person. This privacy statement outlines how we collect, store and use your personal information. It covers the following areas:

  • Data Collection

  • Use of Data

  • Sharing data with third parties

  • How to update your data

  • Data integrity and security 

  • Your Rights

  • Who to contact

Opera UK (OUK) is a company limited by guarantee incorporated in England and Wales (company number 12755427) that processes data for purposes necessary to fulfil its aims and objectives. 

Opera UK is the data controller for your information. 

If you have questions regarding your information or its use, please contact Nick Simpson who is on our board of directors, by email: directors@operauk.net 

  1. How we collect your personal information 

Generally, we collect your information when you decide to interact with us. This could include when you join or renew a membership, ask us to send you information, join our mailing list, attend an event, visit our premises, apply to and/or participate in a project, supply goods/ services to us, apply to work with Opera UK. It could also include when you look at our website. We may also keep a record of information relating to your relationship/contract with us as it progresses.

We collect information in several ways which are listed below:

Join as a member

Register for special interest lists

If you contact us by phone or email, or to book one of our events 

If you contact us by post

If you become an investor

Participate in our activities

Become a supplier

Apply for jobs at Opera UK 

Are a volunteer / employee / staff member at Opera UK

Website users

When you visit our website: We use some online tracking and analysis services, such as Google Analytics, to find out how our website is being used, which activities are working best, and how we can improve our customer experience online.

Like most websites, we receive and store certain details whenever you use the Opera UK website. We use “cookies” to help us make our site – and the way you might use it – better. Cookies mean that a website will remember you and enable online transactions. It also helps us understand how you use our website, where we can make improvements and how best to tell our members about events they might be interested in, through recommendations on our own site, or adverts elsewhere on the internet.

We keep a record of the communications we send you, and we may track whether you receive or open electronic communications so that we can ensure we are sending you the most relevant information.

We use social media to provide updates on our activities, to promote events and projects or to communicate with you about the activities in which you are involved. We may tailor adverts on social media and elsewhere online relevant to your interests. Depending on your own privacy settings with each social media provider, you can control Opera UK’s permission to access information via social media platforms.

2. What information we collect

We may collect personal information from you when you join or renew a membership, ask us to send you information, make a donation, pledge a donation, attend an event, apply to, participate in, lead a project, supply goods/ services to us, apply to work with Opera UK as an employee, volunteer or staff member. We may also keep a record of information relating to your relationship/contract with us as it progresses.

The ways in which we collect data from you are listed below:

2.1 Members and investors 

We may collect or store the following information from you when you join our membership scheme, become an investor or contact us with an enquiry

  • Name

  • Postal Address

  • Telephone number(s)

  • Email address

  • Billing / payment information

  • Attendance, membership and/or payment history

  • Communications preferences

  • Access requirements

  • Any other information you provide to us by email, letter, telephone, social media, via our website or in person

  • Photographs and/or video footage 

Sensitive information 

This includes health information (if you provide us with this) such as access needs or allergies.

Data from third parties

We may also obtain or collect personal information about you from other third-party sources, for example:

  • If you have purchased a ticket for an Opera UK event via a third-party box office and consented to receive information from us, your data is passed to Opera UK in order for us to provide you with information as outlined above

  • If we engage external suppliers for photography and video capture

  • Publicly available information, such as information found in places such as Companies House, your biography on your work website or information that has been published in articles/ newspapers.

  • From our board members or trustees, for example if they wish us to invite you to a concert or event

  • From an organisation which funds or works in partnership with Opera UK, for example if you meet with us or attend an event as a representative of the organisation

2.2 Participants in our activities

We may collect or store the following information from you when you apply to, or participate in one of our activities, attend event, visit our website or premises, or contact us with an enquiry

  • Name

  • Postal Address

  • Telephone number(s)

  • Email address

  • Bank details / payment information

  • Career details, Musical experience

  • Access requirements

  • Allergies and dietary requirements, health and medical conditions

  • Any correspondence with us by email, letter, telephone, social media, via our website or in person

  • DBS details where required

  • Photographs and/or video footage 

  • We may also store information relating to your contract with us

Sensitive information

We may collect sensitive data from you including health information (if supplied) such as access needs, medical conditions or allergies. We may ask for other information specific to a role or activity you are engaging in. 

We may ask you to provide details of your protected characteristics for diversity monitoring purposes. You will always have the option not to respond to any questions you do not wish to answer.

Data from third parties

We may also obtain or collect personal information about you from other third party sources, for example:

  • Referees may provide information to us about your experience and competence

  • If we engage external suppliers for photography and video capture

  • If your details are given as an emergency contact for a participant in one of our projects

2.3 Suppliers and industry contacts

We may collect or store the following information from you when you supply goods or services to us, are recommended to us, or interact with us as a member of the opera profession:

  • Name of company or individual 

  • Name of designated contact(s)

  • Postal Address

  • Telephone number(s)

  • Email address(es)

  • Billing / payment information including bank details

  • Record of goods/services received

  • Any other information you provide to us by email, letter, telephone, social media, via our website or in person 

Data from third parties

We may also obtain or collect personal information about you from other third party sources, for example:

  • Recommendations from other organisations / clients

  • Publicly available information about you from your website

2.4 Job applicants

We may collect or store the following information from you when you apply for a job with us:

  • Name

  • Postal Address

  • Telephone number(s)

  • Email address

  • Access requirements

  • Any other information you provide to us by email, letter, telephone, social media, via our website or in person

  • Musical experience or career information

Sensitive information

This includes health information (if supplied) such as access needs or allergies. We may ask for other information specific to the opportunity you are applying for, and information to support our equal opportunities monitoring). 

Data from third parties

We may also obtain or collect personal information about you from other third party sources, for example:

  • References from previous employers

  • Publicly available information about you online

2.5 Employees and staff

We may collect or store the following information from you when you begin your employment with us. Some of this information you will have provided in your application for the role, some we will ask for before employment begins, and some we may request during your employment.

  • Name

  • Postal Address

  • Telephone number(s)

  • Email address

  • Bank details / payment information

  • Career details, professional experience

  • Access requirements

  • Allergies and dietary requirements, health and medical conditions

  • Any correspondence with us by email, letter, telephone, social media, via our website or in person

  • Passport details (for identification purposes, or for travel)

  • DBS details where required

  • Photographs and/or video footage 

  • We may also store information relating to your contract with us. This includes your employment contract, holidays or leave taken, performance reviews, grievance and disciplinary notes, witness statements, investigation reports relating to confidential incidents

Sensitive information

We may collect sensitive data from you including health information (if supplied) such as access needs, medical conditions or allergies. We may ask for other information specific to a job. In that case we will either obtain the explicit consent of the individual to the processing of such data or we may consider the processing of that data as being necessary for carrying out our obligations as an employer. This will be assessed on a case by case basis.

We will record sickness absences and details relating to those, where supplied.

We may ask you to provide details of your protected characteristics for diversity monitoring purposes, and to complete our annual returns to the Arts Council and other public bodies. You will always have the option not to respond to any questions you do not wish to answer.

Data from third parties

We may also obtain or collect personal information about you from other third-party sources, for example:

  • If we engage external suppliers for photography and video capture

  • When we take up references, or if we engage external advisors to help us assess your suitability for a role, we will record their feedback

3. How we will use your personal information 

We will use your information for the purposes listed below under one of the following legal bases:

  • Performance of a contract between us and you

  • Your consent (where we require it)

  • To comply with a legal obligation 

  • To protect the vital interests of an individual or

  • Our Legitimate interest, or that of a third party

The ways in which we use your data are listed below:

3.1 Members and investors 

We use the information we hold:  

Performance of a contract

  • To inform you of any change to or additional information for your membership 

  • To process payments and thanking members

Legal requirement

  • To process and claim gift aid from HMRC on charitable donations 

Legitimate interest

  • To analyse your personal information to create a profile of your interests and preferences so that we can contact you with information most relevant to you 

  • To keep you informed about our activities that your membership has helped to facilitate 

  • To ensure we know how you prefer to be contacted about our activities 

  • To assist us with reporting and analysis for our own business needs, and those of our funding partners 

  • To keep a record of the relationship we have with you 

  • To promote our work to funders, supporters and the general public via media and social media outlets 

  • To profile members and donors in order to inform future fundraising approaches 

Consent

  • To inform you about relevant concerts, events, services or activities we believe will be of interest, as well as opportunities to support our work 

Vital interest

  • To protect the health and safety of individuals at our events or on our premises 

Contacting you by post, email and telephone 

If you do not want to receive information by post about events or our fundraising activities, you have the option to change any of your contact preferences at any time by contacting hello@operauk.net 

Membership

Customers joining one of our membership schemes will be given the option to receive information by email and post relating to events, activities and further opportunities to support our work.

Fundraising and profiling

OUK relies on membership of individuals and companies to support its purposes.  To do this, we look to identify individuals and organisations who would consider becoming members and who, in addition to being members or attenders, may be interested in supporting our objectives through other means, including investment. We also review whether existing donors may wish to provide further financial support.

To enable us to do this in an efficient, effective and focused way, and to ensure the requests we make are appropriate, proportionate and tailored, we may use publicly available information to identify whether or not you are likely to wish to provide additional support to OUK.  We do not allow third parties to use the data we provide them about you for other purposes.

The information that we may process includes publicly available information relating to your wealth (including house price values), whether you are a trustee of a charity or have previously donated to similar charities, or raised funds for charitable purposes, in addition to your interest in the arts.

We understand that not all of our contacts will want us to carry out such processing and you are free at any time to ask us to stop doing this in respect of your data.  You can do this by contacting hello@OUK.org.uk  If you do this we will delete the information that we have collected about you for these purposes. 

3.2 Participants in our activities

We use the information we hold:

Performance of a contract:

  • To keep you fully informed of all arrangements relating to your involvement with OUK, including events 

  • To process payments when required 

Legitimate interest:

  • To keep a record of the relationship we have with you 

  • To publish lists of members in our printed material and online

  • To promote our work to funders, supporters and the general public via media and social media outlets 

Legal requirement:

  • To ensure compliance with policies, procedures and laws 

  • To protect the health and safety of individuals at our events, involved in our projects or on our premises 

Consent:

  • To keep you informed of other opportunities and relevant concerts, events, services or activities we believe will be of interest, as well as opportunities to support our work 

3.3 Suppliers and industry contacts

We use the information we hold:

  • To contact you regarding the contract we have, or may wish to have with you [performance of a contract]

  • To keep a record of the relationship we have with you [legitimate interest]

  • To keep you informed of our activities and send you invitations to OUK events [legitimate interest and consent]

  • To process payments to/from you when required [performance of a contract]

  • To ensure compliance with policies, procedures and laws [legal requirement]

3.4 Job applicants

We use the information we hold:

  • To process your application and communicate with you regarding the selection and interview process [consent] 

3.5 Employees and staff

We use the information we hold:

  • To maintain our employment contract with you, including processing payments to you, keeping you informed of company policy and activity, recording sickness and other absence, managing performance, health and wellbeing [performance of a contract]

  • To protect the health and safety of individuals at our events or on our premises [vital interest]

  • To keep a record of any correspondence we have with you [legitimate interest]

  • To ensure compliance with policies, procedures and laws [legal requirement]

  • To promote our work to funders, supporters and the general public via media and social media outlets [legitimate interest] 

4. Sharing your personal information with third parties

The personal information that you give us will never be supplied to anyone outside Opera UK for contact purposes without first obtaining your consent, unless we are obliged or permitted by law to disclose it.  We need to use the services of ‘data processors’ to fulfil your requirements, to support analysis and research for Opera UK or the Arts Sector, or for reporting to our funders.

The ways in which we share data with third party organisations are listed below:

4.1 Members and investors 

Your personal data may be accessed by the following people:

  • Our directors, staff and volunteers [performance of a contract]

  • Any individual authorised by us to support our work [performance of a contract] 

We use the following systems, on which your personal data may be stored and processed: 

  • Finance system [performance of a contract]

  • G Suite (including spreadsheets, email and word processing), and mobile phones – to administer our business activities [performance of a contract]

  • To operate our IT systems, such as our database systems, email distribution software (Mailchimp) and website (Squarespace) [performance of a contract]

  • To use specialist support services, such as our mailing house, to distribute our mailings [performance of a contract]

  • We may take photographic or video recordings and share these with media and social media outlets. We always make clear when photography or recordings are taking place [legitimate interest]

  • We may publish lists of supporters and donors in our communications, but you can request us not to include your information should you wish [legitimate interest] 

We have agreements in place with each provider to ensure your data is secure and cannot be accessed or used for any other purpose. Your personal data is never sold.

4.2 Participants in our activities

Within Opera UK 

Your personal data may be accessed by the following people:

  • Our directors, staff and volunteers [performance of a contract]

  • Any individual authorised by us to support our work [performance of a contract] 

We use the following systems, on which your personal data may be stored and processed: 

  • Finance system [performance of a contract]

  • G Suite (including spreadsheets, email and word processing), and mobile phones – to administer our business activities [performance of a contract]

Outside Opera UK

We may also share your data with third party individuals and organisations as listed below:

  • Event schedules and contact information will be shared with all participants in a project for the purposes of co-ordinating the project activities [performance of a contract]

  • Our IT support company and other IT system providers as listed above for the purposes of maintaining our systems [legitimate business interest]

  • Appropriate external regulators and authorities (such as HMRC, HSE) [legal requirement]

  • We may also publish names and photographs of participants, staff and volunteers in our printed material and online (website and social media) [legitimate business interest]

  • Film and photography may be shared with media and social media outlets for promotional purposes [legitimate business interest]

We have agreements in place with each provider to ensure your data is secure and cannot be accessed or used for any other purpose. Your personal data is never sold.

4.3 Suppliers and industry contacts

  • To operate our IT systems, such as our finance system [performance of a contract]

  • We share financial data with relevant government departments, our internal & external auditors and other regulatory bodies in order to fulfil our legal and charitable responsibilities [legal requirement]

  • We may recommend your services to other organisations [legitimate interest] 

We have agreements in place with each provider to ensure your data is secure and cannot be accessed or used for any other purpose. Your personal data is never sold.

4.4 Job applicants

  • We may occasionally engage external advisors to sit on recruitment or interview panels, and would share your application details with them [legitimate interest]

We have agreements in place with each provider to ensure your data is secure and cannot be accessed or used for any other purpose. Your personal data is never sold.

4.5 Employees and staff

Within Opera UK 

Your personal data may be accessed by the following people:

  • Any individual authorised by us to maintain personnel files [performance of a contract] 

We use the following systems, on which your personal data may be stored and processed:

  • Finance system [performance of a contract]

  • Microsoft Office and G:Drive (including spreadsheets, email and word processing), and mobile phones – to administer our business activities [performance of a contract]

Outside Opera UK

We may also share your data with third party organisations as listed below:

  • Our professional advisers [legitimate business interest]

  • Our IT support company and other IT system providers as listed above for the purposes of maintaining our systems [legitimate business interest]

  • Appropriate external regulators and authorities (such as HMRC, HSE) [legal requirement]

  • We may also publish names and photographs of staff in our printed materials and on our website [legitimate business interest]

  • Film and photography may be shared with media and social media outlets for promotional purposes [legitimate business interest] 

We have agreements in place with each provider to ensure your data is secure and cannot be accessed or used for any other purpose. Your personal data is never sold.

 5. How to update your personal information 

You can update your personal contact and communication preferences data at any time, by contacting us at hello@operauk.net. Every bulk email we send you will also contain an option to unsubscribe. 

 6. Data Integrity and security 

We take steps to ensure that data is accurate, complete and up to date, and we regularly run checks to review our data. If you wish to correct any inaccuracies in your data, please email hello@operauk.net. We regularly review email and paper correspondence and minimise our storage through archiving and destruction of out of date materials.

Data retention

We will retain your information for as long as is necessary to provide you with the services you have requested or require from us as detailed below:

6.1 Members and investors  

We will store your personal data in our database system(s) for a maximum of three years after your last engagement with us, and financial information in our office systems (paper and electronic) for six years plus the current tax year. At that point your data will be suppressed, no longer processed, and you will cease to receive communications from us, unless:

  • We must keep it to comply with applicable laws or evidence compliance with such applicable laws

  • There is an outstanding issue, claim or dispute requiring us to keep such information until resolution

  • The information must be kept for our legitimate business interests, such as fraud prevention and enhancing users’ safety and security

6.2 Participants in our activities

We will store your personal data in our database system(s) for a maximum of three years after your last engagement with us, through participating/applying to participate in our work, requesting to be kept up to date with our activities, or interacting with communications from us; and contract/invoicing information in our office systems (paper and electronic) for six years plus the current tax year. At that point your data will be suppressed, no longer processed, and you will cease to receive communications from us, unless:

  • We must keep it to comply with applicable laws or evidence compliance with such applicable laws

  • There is an outstanding issue, claim or dispute requiring us to keep such information until resolution

  • The information must be kept for our legitimate business interests, such as fraud prevention and enhancing users’ safety and security

6.3 Suppliers and industry contacts

We will store data in our database and finance system(s) for as long as you continue to supply us with goods and/or services or engage with communications from us, or six years plus the current tax year, where the relationship is not ongoing. At that point your data will be suppressed and no longer processed, unless: 

  • We must keep it to comply with applicable laws or evidence compliance with such applicable laws

  • There is an outstanding issue, claim or dispute requiring us to keep such information until resolution

  • The information must be kept for our legitimate business interests, such as fraud prevention and enhancing users’ safety and security

6.4 Job applicants

For unsuccessful candidates, we will store data in our HR systems for up to one year following your application, at which point it will be deleted, unless:  

  • There is an outstanding issue, claim or dispute requiring us to keep such information until resolution

  • Successful candidates’ data will be kept under the terms of the Privacy Statement (internal) which will be issued to all employees on appointment

6.5 Employees and staff

We will store data in our system(s) as follows, unless:

  • We must keep it to comply with applicable laws or evidence compliance with such applicable laws

  • There is an outstanding issue, claim or dispute requiring us to keep such information until resolution

  • The information must be kept for our legitimate business interests, such as fraud prevention and enhancing users’ safety and security

Income tax and NI returns, income tax records and correspondence with HMRC [6 years plus the current tax year]

Wage and salary, health, sickness and performance management records [6 years plus the current tax year]

We regularly review email and paper correspondence and minimise our storage through archiving and destruction of out of date materials. 

7. Your Rights

You have rights, including the following:

  • To be informed of the ways in which we use your information, which we seek to do in this policy

  • To request us to stop processing your personal data for marketing or fundraising purposes

  • To request a copy of the personal information we hold about you

  • To request that any inaccuracies in the data we hold about you are corrected

  • In certain circumstances to request that we limit, cease processing or erase your personal data.

  • To lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office https://ico.org.uk/ or through the Fundraising Regulator (https://www.fundraisingregulator.org.uk/)

8. Who to contact 

Email us: hello@operauk.net 

Write to us: Data Protection Opera UK, 2 Chapel Yard, London SW18 4HZ.

Complaints If you wish to make a complaint about how we are using your data, please email directors@operauk.net

Subject Access Requests

If you wish to make a subject access request (SAR), please email directors@operauk.net. We will try to respond to all legitimate requests within 30 days. Occasionally it may take us longer if your request is particularly complex or if you have made a number of requests, in which case we will keep you notified and updated. We will require specific details of your request and proof of identification.

9. Changes to this statement 

We may change or update this Privacy Statement from time to time. Any significant changes will be communicated on our website and/or by contacting you directly.

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