Privacy Policy

Last updated: March 19, 2026

1. Introduction

Welcome to our website. We operate both an online store and a physical art gallery, and we are committed to protecting your personal information and your right to privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information whether you interact with us online or in person at our gallery.

We comply with Canada's Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA), the Canadian Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL), and applicable provincial privacy legislation.

If you have questions or concerns, please contact us using the details provided at the end of this policy.

2. Information We Collect

We collect personal information that you voluntarily provide to us when you:

Create an account on our website
Place an order or make a purchase online or in person
Sign up for our email newsletter or marketing communications
Register for a gallery event, exhibition opening, or private viewing
Submit an artist application, consignment inquiry, or commission request
Sign our in-gallery visitor or mailing list register
Contact us for support or general inquiries

The personal information we may collect includes:

Identity & Contact Information: your name, email address, billing and shipping address, and phone number
Account Information: your username, password, and account preferences
Payment Information: credit/debit card details or other payment data — payment details are processed securely by our third-party payment processor (e.g., Stripe) and are not stored on our servers
Purchase & Collection Records: artwork purchased, transaction history, and collector preferences
Artist & Consignment Information: if you are an artist or consignor, we may collect your name, contact details, portfolio information, banking details for remittance, and records of works consigned or sold
Event & RSVP Information: attendance records for openings, exhibitions, and private viewings
Usage & Technical Data: IP address, browser type, pages visited, and browsing behaviour on our site, collected via cookies and analytics tools
Photography & Media: images or video captured at gallery events may include identifiable individuals

3. How We Collect Information

We collect information in the following ways:

Directly from you when you register, place an order, attend an event, or contact us — both online and in person at our gallery
Automatically through cookies and similar tracking technologies when you browse our website
From third parties such as social media platforms if you choose to log in using a social account (e.g., Facebook, Google)
In person through sign-in sheets, mailing list registrations, and point-of-sale transactions at our physical gallery location

4. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect to:

Process and fulfill online and in-person orders and payments
Create and manage your account
Send order confirmations, receipts, and shipping updates
Maintain artist and consignment records, and process artist remittances
Maintain collector profiles and purchase histories where relevant to ongoing relationships
Send you invitations to exhibition openings, private viewings, and gallery events
Send you marketing emails and promotions where you have provided consent under CASL
Improve our website, products, and customer experience using analytics data
Promote gallery exhibitions, featured artists, and available works
Detect and prevent fraud or unauthorized activity
Comply with our legal obligations

5. Canadian Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL)

We comply with CASL when sending commercial electronic messages. We will only send you marketing or promotional emails if you have provided express consent (e.g., by checking a box to subscribe) or where implied consent exists (e.g., you are an existing customer or have made an inquiry within the past two years).

Every marketing email we send will include a clear and easy way to unsubscribe. Once you unsubscribe, we will remove you from our marketing list within 10 business days.

If you sign up for our mailing list in person at the gallery, the same consent standards apply.

6. Sharing Your Information

We do not sell your personal information. We may share your information with trusted third parties only as necessary to operate our business, including:

Payment Processors: such as Stripe, to securely process your transactions
Email Marketing Providers: such as Mailchimp, to send newsletters and promotional emails you have consented to receive
Analytics Providers: such as Google Analytics, to help us understand how visitors use our website
Social Media Platforms: if you use social login, those platforms may collect information in accordance with their own privacy policies
Shipping & Fulfillment Partners: to deliver your orders
Artists & Consignors: limited information (e.g., buyer's first name, general location) may be shared with an artist where relevant to a sale or commission, unless you request otherwise
Legal Authorities: if required by law, court order, or to protect our rights

All third-party service providers are required to handle your data securely and only for the purposes we specify.

7. Photography & Media at Gallery Events

We may photograph or film events held at our gallery, including exhibition openings and private viewings, for promotional purposes. These images or videos may be shared on our website and social media channels.

By attending a gallery event, you acknowledge that photography may take place. If you would like to request the removal of an image or video in which you appear, please contact us using the details at the end of this policy and we will make reasonable efforts to accommodate your request.

8. Artist & Consignor Privacy

If you are an artist or consignor working with our gallery, we collect and retain information necessary to manage our professional relationship, including contact details, banking information for remittances, and records of consigned or sold works. This information is kept confidential and is not shared with third parties except as required to complete transactions or comply with legal obligations.

Artists and consignors may request access to or correction of their records at any time by contacting us.

9. Collector Privacy

We may maintain collector profiles to provide a personalized experience, track purchase history, and facilitate ongoing relationships around artwork acquisition. This information is treated with the highest degree of confidentiality and is not shared with other collectors, artists, or third parties without your express consent, except where required to complete a transaction.

10. Cookies & Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar technologies to enhance your browsing experience, remember your preferences, and gather analytics data. These may include:

Essential cookies — necessary for the website to function
Analytics cookies — such as Google Analytics, to track site usage
Marketing cookies — to deliver relevant content and advertisements

You can control or disable cookies through your browser settings. Note that disabling certain cookies may affect the functionality of our website.

11. Your Rights & Choices

Under PIPEDA, you have the right to:

Access the personal information we hold about you
Correct inaccurate or incomplete information
Withdraw consent for the collection or use of your personal information, subject to legal or contractual restrictions
Request deletion of your personal information where we no longer have a legal basis to retain it
Opt out of marketing emails at any time by clicking "unsubscribe" in any email we send, or by contacting us directly

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the details below.

12. Data Retention

We retain your personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this policy, or as required by law. Specifically:

Order and transaction records are typically retained for a minimum of seven years for tax and accounting purposes
Consignment and artist records are retained for the duration of our relationship and for a reasonable period thereafter
Collector profiles are retained for as long as the relationship is active or as requested
Event attendance records are retained for a reasonable period for promotional and archival purposes

13. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your personal information against unauthorized access, loss, or misuse. However, no method of transmission over the internet is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

14. Third-Party Links

Our website may contain links to third-party websites, including artist websites or partner galleries. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of those sites and encourage you to review their privacy policies.

15. Children's Privacy

Our website and gallery services are not directed at children under the age of 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children.

16. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we do, we will revise the "Last updated" date at the top of this page. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.

17. Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our privacy practices, please contact us at:

h squared gallery, 598 second avenue, box 276, fernie, bc, canada, vob imo
hello@hsquaredgallery.com
1 778 519 5100