Terms of Service

Agreement

These Terms of Service govern your use of the website at thepublichouse.org and participation in the events, workshops, and community programs operated by PVBLIC House, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in Tysons, Virginia. By using the site, creating an account, requesting access, or registering for an event, you agree to these Terms and our Privacy Policy. If you do not agree, please do not use the site or register for our events.

Eligibility

You must be at least 18 years old, or the age of majority where you live, to create an account or register for an event. If you register on behalf of an organization, you represent that you have authority to bind that organization to these Terms.

Accounts

• You are responsible for keeping your account credentials confidential.
• You are responsible for all activity under your account.
• Provide accurate information when you sign up and keep it up to date.
• Tell us promptly if you suspect unauthorized access by emailing hello@thepublichouse.org.

Events and RSVPs

• RSVPs are confirmation that you intend to attend a specific event. We use them to plan capacity, food, and seating.
• Some events require approval. If your RSVP is pending, you have not yet been admitted to the event.
• Capacity is limited. When an event is full, you may be added to a waitlist and notified if a seat opens.
• If you cannot attend, please cancel your RSVP so we can offer your seat to someone on the waitlist.
• We may cancel, reschedule, or change the format of an event. If we do, we will notify registrants by email.
• You are responsible for getting yourself to and from our events safely.

Paid tickets and refunds

• Some events require a paid ticket. The price is shown before you check out, and payment is processed securely by Stripe.
• Your spot at a paid event is confirmed once payment is complete. Unpaid reservations may be released to the waitlist.
• Tickets are for your own use and are not transferable unless the event page says otherwise.
• If we cancel a paid event, we will refund your ticket in full. For other refund requests, email hello@thepublichouse.org and we will do our best to accommodate you.
• Discount codes may have limits or expiration dates and can be withdrawn at any time.

Text messaging (SMS)

If you provide your mobile number and opt in, PVBLIC House may send you text messages, including one-time sign-in passcodes, event confirmations and reminders, and volunteer updates. Consent to receive texts is not a condition of purchasing a ticket or attending an event. Message frequency varies and message and data rates may apply. Reply STOP at any time to unsubscribe, or HELP for help. We do not sell or share your mobile opt-in information with third parties for their marketing. See our Privacy Policy for full details on how we handle text messaging.

Code of conduct

PVBLIC House is a community space. We expect everyone, members, guests, presenters, staff, and volunteers, to treat each other with respect.

• No harassment, hate speech, threats, or discrimination of any kind.
• No solicitation, recruiting, or sales pitches at events without prior approval from an organizer.
• No recording of other attendees without their consent.
• Follow the instructions of organizers and staff while on premises.

We reserve the right to remove anyone from an event, revoke access to programs, or ban a person from future events if they violate this code of conduct.

Acceptable use of the website

• Do not attempt to break, probe, or interfere with the security of the site.
• Do not scrape or automate access to the site without our written permission.
• Do not use the site to upload viruses, malware, or anything illegal.
• Do not impersonate another person or organization.
• Do not use the site to send unsolicited commercial messages.

Photography and recordings

We may photograph, record audio, or record video at our events for archival, educational, and promotional purposes. By attending, you consent to being captured in this material unless you opt out in writing or notify the organizer at the door. We try to respect requests to be excluded from photographs whenever possible.

Intellectual property

The PVBLIC House name, brand, and visual identity belong to PVBLIC House. Content we publish, including curriculum, recordings, and zines, is generally released under a permissive license, but the specific license accompanies each piece of work. Anything you submit to us, such as a Request Access note or a question at an event, you grant us a non-exclusive, royalty-free license to use for the purpose of operating our programs.

If you submit photos from an event, you keep ownership of them, but you grant us a non-exclusive, royalty-free license to display them on our website and in our promotional material. We review submitted photos before publishing them. Only submit photos you took yourself, and be considerate of attendees who do not want to appear in shared photos.

Volunteering

Volunteers may be asked to sign separate agreements, such as a volunteer agreement or confidentiality terms, before taking on certain roles. If those agreements conflict with these Terms, the separate agreement controls for that volunteer work.

Donations

PVBLIC House is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Donations may be tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. We will provide a receipt for any donation, but we cannot give tax or legal advice. Consult your own advisor. Donations are generally non-refundable — if you made a donation in error, email hello@thepublichouse.org and we will work with you to correct it.

Disclaimers

The site, events, and programs are provided on an "as is" and "as available" basis. We do not warrant that the site will be uninterrupted, error-free, or secure, or that any content provided through our programs will meet your expectations. Anything you do based on what you learn at PVBLIC House is at your own risk.

Limitation of liability

To the fullest extent allowed by law, PVBLIC House and its directors, officers, volunteers, and partners will not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages arising out of or in connection with your use of the site, attendance at our events, or participation in our programs. Our total aggregate liability will not exceed one hundred US dollars (USD 100).

Indemnification

You agree to indemnify and hold PVBLIC House harmless from any claims, losses, or damages, including reasonable attorneys' fees, arising out of your breach of these Terms, your violation of law, or your conduct at our events.

Termination

You may stop using the site or close your account at any time by emailing hello@thepublichouse.org. We may suspend or terminate your access if we believe you have violated these Terms or our code of conduct, or if doing so is necessary to protect the community.

Governing law

These Terms are governed by the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia, without regard to its conflict of laws rules. Any dispute that cannot be resolved informally will be brought exclusively in the state or federal courts located in Fairfax County, Virginia, and you consent to the jurisdiction of those courts.

Changes to these Terms

We may update these Terms from time to time. When we make material changes we will update the "Last updated" date at the top of this page and, where appropriate, notify you by email or with a notice on the site. Continued use of the site or our events after changes go into effect means you accept the updated Terms.

Contact

Questions about these Terms? Email hello@thepublichouse.org.