Greatness Defined by Art

African Portrait Gallery

Privacy Policy

Your Information Is Handled with Care and Responsibility

The African Portrait Gallery (“APG,” “we,” “our,” or “us”) is committed to protecting the privacy, dignity, and integrity of all individuals, contributors, applicants, partners, donors, supporters, organizations, and visitors who interact with our platform.

This Privacy Policy explains how APG collects, uses, stores, protects, and handles information submitted through our website, forms, programs, applications, communications, and digital services.

By using this website or submitting information through APG’s forms, you agree to the practices described in this Privacy Policy.

1. About the African Portrait Gallery

The African Portrait Gallery is a cultural, archival, artistic, and educational institution dedicated to documenting, preserving, interpreting, and honoring the lives and contributions of individuals whose work has shaped Africa, people of African descent, and the wider human community.

As part of our operations, APG may collect and process information necessary to manage applications, memberships, partnerships, support initiatives, submissions, communications, archives, exhibitions, programs, and general institutional activities.

2. Information We Collect

APG may collect information in the following ways:

A. Personal Information

When you interact with our website, forms, programs, or communications, we may collect personal information such as:

  • Full name;
  • Email address;
  • Phone number;
  • Country, state, city, or general location;
  • Preferred method of contact;
  • Other information you choose to provide in connection with your inquiry or submission.

B. Professional and Institutional Information

Depending on your interaction with APG, including membership applications, partnership inquiries, mentorship programs, submissions, nominations, or institutional collaborations, we may collect:

  • Professional title or role;
  • Organization, company, school, gallery, nonprofit, or institutional affiliation;
  • Portfolio links, websites, or social media links;
  • Biographical information;
  • Statements of interest, intent, purpose, or mission alignment;
  • Professional background, achievements, or areas of expertise;
  • Project, proposal, or partnership-related information.

C. Uploaded Materials

Through forms such as “Join APG,” “Partner with Us,” “Support Us,” “Submit a Profile,” “Commission a Portrait,” or related APG submission channels, you may submit materials such as:

  • Portfolios;
  • Curriculum vitae, resumes, or professional profiles;
  • Writing samples, essays, statements, or proposals;
  • Institutional profiles or partnership documents;
  • Images, portraits, photographs, or artworks;
  • Biographical materials;
  • Supporting documents relevant to APG programs, archives, exhibitions, or applications.

D. Donation, Support, and Transaction-Related Information

If you donate, sponsor, contribute resources, or otherwise support APG, we may collect information necessary to process, acknowledge, record, or manage your support. This may include:

  • Name and contact details;
  • Donation or support category;
  • General donor or sponsor preferences;
  • Information needed for receipts, acknowledgments, or follow-up communications.

Payment details may be processed by third-party payment service providers. APG does not intentionally store full credit card or sensitive payment card information on its website.

E. Technical Information

When you visit Our Site, certain technical information may be collected automatically, including:

  • IP address;
  • Browser type and version;
  • Device type;
  • Operating system;
  • Pages visited;
  • Date and time of visits;
  • Referring website or source;
  • Usage data, cookies, and tracking information.

3. How We Use Your Information

Information collected by APG is used for legitimate institutional, cultural, administrative, archival, operational, educational, and communication purposes.

APG may use your information to:

  • Process membership applications;
  • Review partnership inquiries;
  • Manage support, donation, sponsorship, or resource contribution activities;
  • Evaluate submissions, nominations, profiles, portfolios, or proposals;
  • Communicate with applicants, partners, supporters, donors, contributors, and visitors;
  • Maintain internal records and archives;
  • Support curatorial, exhibition, research, educational, mentorship, and institutional programs;
  • Improve website performance, usability, security, and user experience;
  • Respond to questions, requests, or concerns;
  • Comply with legal, administrative, accounting, or regulatory obligations.

APG does not use your personal information for unrelated commercial purposes.

4. Use of Uploaded Materials

Materials submitted to APG are handled with professional discretion and used only for purposes connected to APG’s mission, programs, applications, records, or institutional activities.

Uploaded materials may be used for:

  • Curatorial review and evaluation;
  • Membership, partnership, mentorship, or program assessment;
  • Institutional documentation and archival consideration;
  • Internal assessment of alignment with APG’s mission;
  • Administrative review and communication;
  • Possible exhibition, publication, archive, or program consideration, where appropriate consent is obtained.

Submission of materials does not imply automatic publication, exhibition, display, approval, partnership, membership, or inclusion in APG collections.

APG will not publicly display, publish, promote, or exhibit submitted materials without appropriate consent where required by law, agreement, or institutional policy.

5. Sharing of Information

APG does not sell, rent, or trade personal information.

We may share limited information only where necessary and appropriate, including:

  • With trusted service providers who assist with website hosting, email systems, form management, security, payment processing, data storage, analytics, or communications;
  • With APG staff, officers, advisors, reviewers, volunteers, curators, or authorized representatives who need access for legitimate institutional purposes;
  • When required by law, regulation, subpoena, court order, legal process, or governmental request;
  • To protect the rights, safety, security, integrity, property, or reputation of APG, its users, contributors, partners, or the public;
  • In connection with lawful organizational restructuring, partnership, merger, transfer, or succession, where appropriate safeguards apply.

Any third-party service providers used by APG are expected to handle information responsibly and only for the services they provide to APG.

6. Data Storage and Security

APG implements reasonable administrative, technical, and organizational measures to protect information from unauthorized access, loss, misuse, alteration, disclosure, or destruction.

These measures may include access controls, secure storage practices, password-protected systems, limited internal access, website security tools, and responsible data handling procedures.

While APG takes appropriate steps to safeguard information, no website, database, email system, or digital platform can guarantee absolute security. Users are encouraged to exercise discretion when submitting sensitive, confidential, or personal information online.

7. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

APG may use cookies and similar technologies to support website functionality, understand visitor behavior, improve performance, and enhance user experience.

Cookies may be used to:

  • Improve website functionality;
  • Remember user preferences where applicable;
  • Analyze website usage and performance;
  • Support security and spam protection;
  • Enhance user experience.

Users may control, block, or disable cookies through their browser settings. Disabling cookies may affect certain features or functionality of Our Site.

8. Your Rights

Depending on your location and applicable law, you may have certain rights regarding your personal information.

These rights may include the right to:

  • Request access to your personal data;
  • Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information;
  • Request deletion of your personal data, where legally permitted;
  • Withdraw consent for certain uses of your information;
  • Request limitation of certain processing activities;
  • Ask how your information is being used or stored.

Requests may be submitted using the contact details provided below. APG may need to verify your identity before responding to certain privacy-related requests.

9. Data Retention

APG retains personal information and submitted materials only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes described in this Privacy Policy, unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law, institutional policy, archival purpose, contractual obligation, or legitimate organizational need.

Some records may be retained for administrative, archival, legal, accounting, historical, curatorial, or institutional documentation purposes.

10. Third-Party Links

Our Site may contain links to external websites, platforms, payment processors, embedded media, social media pages, or other third-party services.

APG is not responsible for the privacy practices, security standards, content, policies, or actions of third-party websites or services. Users are encouraged to review the privacy policies of third-party platforms independently.

11. Children’s Privacy

The APG website is not intended for children under the age of 13. APG does not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13.

If APG becomes aware that personal information from a child under 13 has been collected without appropriate consent, we will take reasonable steps to delete such information.

12. International Users

APG may be accessed by users from different countries. By using Our Site or submitting information through APG’s forms, you acknowledge that your information may be processed, stored, or handled in the United States or other locations where APG or its service providers operate.

Users outside the United States are responsible for understanding how applicable local privacy laws may relate to their use of Our Site.

13. Updates to This Privacy Policy

APG may update this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect changes in our practices, website functions, institutional needs, legal requirements, or operational procedures.

The most current version will be made available on this page. Continued use of Our Site after updates are posted indicates acceptance of the revised Privacy Policy.

14. Contact Information

For questions, requests, corrections, or concerns regarding this Privacy Policy or your personal data, please contact:

African Portrait Gallery (APG)
Email: info@africanportraitgallery.org

Final Note

The African Portrait Gallery handles information with care, discretion, and institutional responsibility. This Privacy Policy exists to protect the trust of individuals, contributors, partners, supporters, and organizations who engage with APG’s mission, programs, archives, and digital platform.