Terms of Service

You have the flexibility to explore Workshop Listings by applying various search criteria such as the type of cultural origin, location, desired dates, price and level. Additionally, you can use the keyword search field.

When you book a Workshop, you are agreeing to pay all charges for your booking, including the Workshop price, applicable fees, taxes, and any other items identified during checkout (collectively, the “Total Price”). You are also agreeing that wocu may charge the Payment Method used to book the Workshop to collect any amounts related to the Workshop. When you receive the booking confirmation, a contract for Workshop Services (a “Reservation”) is formed directly between you and the Host. In addition to these Terms, you will be subject to, and responsible for complying with, all terms of the Reservation, including, without limitation, the cancellation policy and any other rules, standards, policies, or requirements identified in the Workshop description or during checkout that apply to the Reservation. It is your responsibility to read and understand these rules, standards, policies, and requirements prior to booking a Workshop. Please note that some Hosts may work with co-hosts or as part of a team to provide their Workshop Services.

A Workshop Reservation is a limited license to attend and participate in the Workshop. The Host retains the right to manage and oversee the Workshop, including enforcing Workshop rules and policies. If you do not comply with the Workshop rules, the Host has the right to take appropriate action, including removing you from the Workshop. You must abide by the Workshop rules and policies at all times during your attendance. Please note that Workshop capacity limits must be respected, and you may not exceed the maximum number of allowed attendees.

A Workshop Reservation entitles you to participate in, attend, or use that Host Service. You are responsible for confirming that you, and anyone you invite, meet any specific requirements or conditions set by the Host, such as age, proficiency, fitness, or other criteria. It is your responsibility to inform the Host of any medical or physical conditions, or other circumstances that may impact your ability to participate, attend, or use the Host Service. Unless expressly authorized, you may not allow any person to join a Host Service unless they are included as an additional attendee during the booking process.

Guests agree that all workshop payments made on the wocu platform will be processed through Stripe. wocu is not responsible for technical issues or bugs in the payment process.

To ensure safety and compliance with our platform, all Guests must meet a minimum age requirement to make bookings on the wocu platform. You must be 18 years or older to create a booking and verify your identity through Veriff, a third-party identity verification service. The individual initiating the booking and undergoing the Veriff identity verification process must be at least 18 years old. If the person initiating the booking and identity verification is under 18 years old, the booking will not be permitted.

Your actions and those of individuals you invite to participate in any wocu Workshop or other Host Service are your responsibility. This includes:

• Ensuring that you and your guests conduct yourselves with integrity, treat others with respect, and adhere to applicable laws at all times.
• Complying with the rules, standards, policies, and requirements specified in the Workshop Listing, during checkout, before, or during the Workshop that apply to the Host Service you have reserved.
• If you're booking for a minor or bringing a minor to a Host Service, you must have the legal authority to act on their behalf and are solely responsible for their supervision.

You acknowledge that many activities carry inherent risks. To the maximum extent allowed by law, you accept the full responsibility for the risks associated with accessing and using the wocu Platform, including participating in Workshops, or any interactions with other Members, whether in person or online. This implies that you must investigate Workshop Listings to determine their suitability for you.

For example, Host Services may involve risks such as illness, bodily injury, disability, or other unforeseen circumstances. By choosing to participate in these Workshops, you freely and willingly assume these risks.

As a Host on wocu, you have the privilege to use the wocu Platform to share your cultural Workshop or Event with our diverse community of Guests and earn compensation for your expertise. Creating a Workshop Listing is straightforward, and you have the autonomy to determine how you Host, including setting prices, availability, rules, and maximum number of participants.

When you accept a booking request or receive a booking confirmation through the wocu Platform, you are establishing a contract directly with the Guest. You are responsible for delivering your Host Service according to the terms and price specified in your Workshop Listing. Additionally, you agree to pay any applicable fees, including wocu’s service fee, for each booking. wocu payouts will deduct amounts owed from your earnings. Any terms, policies, or conditions in any supplemental contract with Guests must: (i) align with these Terms and the information provided in your Workshop listing, and (ii) be clearly presented in your Workshop description.

Your affiliation with wocu is that of an independent individual or entity, distinct from an employee, agent, joint venturer, or partner of wocu. It’s important to note that wocu does not exercise direction or control over your Host Service. You retain complete discretion regarding whether to offer Workshops, when to provide them, the pricing, and the terms on which you offer them.

Registration as a host is only permitted for legal entities, partnerships, and natural persons who are 18 years or older. If you are under 18 years old, you will not be able to create an account. You must be 18 years or older to create an event and verify your identity through Veriff, a third-party identity verification service.

As a Host on wocu, it is your legal obligation to ensure the safety and security of participants attending your cultural workshops or events. This includes the installation and maintenance of functional smoke detection systems, the availability of a fully stocked first aid kit, and strict adherence to all applicable regulations and insurance requirements. By fulfilling these obligations, you demonstrate a commitment to the safety and well-being of your guests and uphold the legal standards expected of a wocu Host.

The wocu Platform provides user-friendly tools for you to create and manage your Workshops Listing. Your Listing should contain accurate and complete information about your Workshop, including the all-inclusive individual price for the workshop experience. No additional charges can be required from the guest at any time. It is your responsibility to ensure that your Listing information, including dates, and content (such as photos), remains up-to-date and accurate. We recommend that you secure appropriate insurance for your Host Services and carefully review the current Terms of Service.

You are accountable for comprehending and complying with all relevant laws, regulations, rules, and agreements with third parties that pertain to your Workshop or Event. For example, some landlords, homeowner associations, or leases may impose restrictions or prohibitions regarding home businesses. In specific jurisdictions, Hosts may need to register, obtain permits, or acquire licenses before providing certain Services, such as food preparation, alcohol service, guided tours, or vehicle operation. In some areas, the Services you intend to offer may be entirely prohibited.

Please consult local regulations to determine which rules apply to the Services you intend to provide. Any information we provide regarding legal requirements is for informational purposes only, and you should independently verify your obligations. It is your responsibility to handle and use the personal data of Guests and others in compliance with applicable privacy laws and these Terms, including our Privacy Policy. If you have any questions about how local laws apply, we recommend seeking legal advice.

The order in which Workshops are displayed in search results on the wocu platform depends on various factors, including:

• Workshop details (e.g. workshop type, location, date and time, price)
• Workshop popularity (e.g. guest engagement, reviews, and ratings)
• Host's profile and reputation
• Guest preferences and search criteria (e.g., location, date, workshop type)
• Workshop availability and other relevant parameters

You are responsible and liable for your own acts and omissions and are also responsible for the acts and omissions of anyone you allow to participate in providing your Host Services. You are responsible for setting your price and establishing rules and requirements for your Listing. The price displayed for each Workshop on your Listing is all-inclusive, and you are not permitted to impose any additional fees or charges, whether within or outside of the wocu platform. Please refrain from encouraging Guests to create third-party accounts, submit reviews, share their contact information, or engage in activities outside the wocu Platform.

If you work with a co-host or host as part of a team, business, or other organization, the entity and each individual who participates in offering one or many Workshops is responsible and liable as a Host under these Terms. If you accept terms or enter into contracts, you represent and warrant that you are authorized to enter into contracts for and bind your team, business or other organization, and that each entity you use is in good standing under the laws of the place where it is established. If you perform other functions, you represent and warrant that you are authorized to perform those functions.

You acknowledge that hosting carries inherent risks and agree that you assume the entire risk arising out of your access to and use of the wocu Platform, offering Workshops, or any interaction you have with other Members whether in person or online. You agree that you have had the opportunity to investigate the wocu Platform and any laws, rules, regulations, or obligations that may be applicable to your Listings or Workshop and that you are not relying upon any statement of law made by wocu.

As a Host, it is imperative that you refrain from canceling on a Guest unless there exists a valid justification in accordance with applicable law and established guidelines. Failure to adhere to this principle may result in the imposition of various consequences, including but not limited to the following: a cancellation fee, suspension of your hosting privileges, or the termination of your account. Hosts who cancel multiple Workshops, even with valid reasons, may be subject to the consequences mentioned above.

In the event of a Workshop cancellation initiated by the Host, Guests are entitled to receive a full refund, and no payment will be disbursed to the Host for the canceled Workshop. Guests may cancel a reservation up to 48 hours before the Workshop starts and receive a full refund. Cancellations made up to 24 hours before the Workshop starts are eligible for a 50% refund.

If a Guest cancels a Reservation, the amount you are paid will be reduced by the amount we refund or otherwise provide to the Guest, and by any other reasonable costs we incur as a result of the cancellation. If a Guest receives a refund after you have already been paid, or the amount of the refund and other costs incurred by wocu exceeds your payout, wocu may recover that amount from you, including by offsetting the refund against your future payouts. If we reasonably expect to provide a refund to a Guest under those Terms of Service, we may delay release of any payout for that Reservation until a refund decision is made.

Hosts are accountable for any adjustments they make to their Workshops through the wocu Platform. This includes modifications to dates, times, or other booking information. If there are no Reservations made for a specific Workshop or Listing yet, Hosts can freely modify the Workshop details. However, once the Workshop or Workshop Listings have been booked by at least one participant or Guest, Hosts cannot make any modifications.

As a Host, you are responsible for determining and fulfilling your obligations under applicable laws to report, collect, remit, or include in your price any applicable VAT or other taxes (“Taxes”).

In jurisdictions where wocu facilitates the collection and/or remittance of Taxes on behalf of Hosts, you instruct and authorize wocu to collect Taxes on your behalf, and/or to remit such Taxes to the relevant Tax authority. Any Taxes that are collected and/or remitted by wocu are identified to Hosts on their transaction records, as applicable. wocu may seek additional amounts from Hosts (including by deducting such amounts from future payouts) in the event that the Taxes collected and/or remitted are insufficient to fully discharge that Host’s tax obligations, and you agree that your sole remedy for Taxes collected by wocu is a refund from the applicable Tax authority. You acknowledge and agree that we retain the right, with prior notice to affected Hosts, to cease the collection and remittance of Taxes in any jurisdiction for any reason.

In certain jurisdictions, Tax regulations may require that we collect and/or report Tax information about you, or withhold Taxes from payouts to you, or both. If you fail to provide us with documentation that we determine to be sufficient to support any such obligation to withhold Taxes from payouts to you, we may withhold payouts up to the amount as required by law, until sufficient documentation is provided. You agree that wocu may issue on your behalf invoices or similar documentation for VAT, GST, consumption or other Taxes for your Workshops to facilitate accurate tax reporting by you, our Guests, and/or their organizations.

Payments for your Workshops are processed through Stripe, a third-party payment processing service. Hosts are responsible for establishing and maintaining a Stripe account in compliance with Stripe’s regulations and terms. It is imperative to ensure that your Stripe account is authorized and in good standing to receive payouts. Hosts have the autonomy to manage the payout frequency from their Stripe account to their bank account and should be aware that costs may be associated with these transfers according to Stripe’s policies.

Additionally, hosts acknowledge that wocu bears no responsibility for any issues or complications related to their Stripe account, including account authorization, suspension, or termination by Stripe. Hosts are solely accountable for addressing any disputes or concerns arising from their Stripe account. Through their use of the wocu Platform and receipt of payouts via Stripe, hosts consent to adhere to Stripe’s terms and conditions and recognize that wocu holds no liability for any actions or determinations made by Stripe regarding their account.

In the event of a dispute or refund request initiated by a Guest regarding charges related to a Workshop booking, Hosts are expected to engage in the resolution process facilitated by wocu. Hosts should collaborate with Guests to address any concerns or issues related to workshop charges in a fair and transparent manner. Hosts must be prepared to provide relevant information and evidence regarding the Workshop, including service details and communications.

Hosts are required to cooperate fully with wocu and Guests throughout the resolution process. wocu will assist in facilitating communication between Hosts and Guests to help resolve disputes or refund requests effectively. However, wocu retains the authority to make the final decision on refunds or chargebacks. While wocu will handle the dispute resolution process, Hosts should also adhere to Stripe’s guidelines for managing payment disputes and chargebacks. By using the wocu Platform and processing payments through Stripe, Hosts acknowledge their responsibility to address disputes and refund requests related to Workshop charges in accordance with both wocu and Stripe’s guidelines and procedures.

You must follow these rules and must not help or induce others to break or circumvent these rules.

Act with integrity and treat others with respect

• Do not lie, misrepresent something or someone, or pretend to be someone else.
• Be polite and respectful when you communicate or interact with others.
• Do not discriminate against or harass others.

Do not scrape, hack, reverse engineer, compromise or impair the wocu Platform

• Do not use bots, crawlers, scrapers, or other automated means to access or collect data or other content from or otherwise interact with the wocu Platform.
• Do not hack, avoid, remove, impair, or otherwise attempt to circumvent any security or technological measure used to protect the wocu Platform or Content.
• Do not decipher, decompile, disassemble, or reverse engineer any of the software or hardware used to provide the wocu Platform.
• Do not take any action that could damage or adversely affect the performance or proper functioning of the wocu Platform.

Only use the wocu Platform as authorized by these Terms

• You may only use another Member's personal information as necessary to facilitate a transaction using the wocu Platform as authorized by these Terms.
• Do not use the wocu Platform, our messaging tools, or Members' personal information to send commercial messages without the recipient's express consent.
• Do not use Content unless you have permission from the Content owner or the use is authorized by us in these Terms or another agreement you have with us.
• Do not request, make, or accept a booking or any payment outside of the wocu Platform to avoid paying fees, taxes or for any other reason.
• Do not require or encourage Guests to open an account, leave a review, complete a survey, or otherwise interact with a third party website, application or service before, during or after a Reservation, unless authorized by wocu.
• Do not engage in any practices that are intended to manipulate our search algorithm.
• Do not book Workshops unless you are actually attending the Workshop.
• Do not use, copy, display, mirror or frame the wocu Platform, any Content, any wocu branding, or any page layout or design without our consent.

Honor your legal obligations

• Understand and follow the laws that apply to you, including privacy, data protection, and export laws.
• If you provide us with someone else's personal information, you: (i) must do so in compliance with applicable law, (ii) must be authorized to do so, and (iii) authorize us to process that information under our Privacy Policy.
• Read and follow our Terms (including Additional Legal Terms, Policies, and Standards if any).
• Do not use the name, logo, branding, or trademarks of wocu or others without permission, and only as set forth in our Trademark Guidelines.
• Do not use or register any domain name, social media handle, trade name, trademark, branding, logo, or other source identifier that may be confused with wocu branding.
• Do not offer Workshops that violate the laws or agreements that apply to you.
• Do not offer or solicit prostitution or participate in or facilitate human trafficking.

If you believe that a Member, Listing or Content poses an imminent risk of harm to a person or property, you should immediately contact local authorities before contacting wocu. In addition, if you believe that a Member, Listing or Content has violated our Terms of Service, you should report your concerns to wocu. If you reported an issue to local authorities, wocu may request a copy of that report. Except as required by law, you agree that we are not obligated to take action in response to any report.

If you believe that Content on the wocu Platform infringes copyrights, please notify us.

The agreement between you and wocu reflected by these Terms is effective when you access the wocu Platform (for example to create an account) and remains in effect until either you or we terminate the agreement in accordance with these Terms.

You may terminate this agreement at any time by sending us an email or by deleting your account. wocu may terminate this agreement and your account for any reason by giving you 30 days’ notice via email or using any other contact information you have provided for your account. wocu may also terminate this agreement immediately and without notice and stop providing access to the wocu Platform if you breach these Terms, you violate our Additional Legal Terms, or Policies, you violate applicable laws, or we reasonably believe termination is necessary to protect wocu, its Members, or third parties. If your account has been inactive for more than two years, we may terminate your account without prior notice.

If (i) you breach these Terms, our Additional Legal Terms, Policies, or our Standards, (ii) you violate applicable laws, regulations, or third-party rights, or (iii) wocu believes it is reasonably necessary to protect wocu, its Members, or third parties; wocu may, with or without prior notice:

• suspend or limit your access to or use of the wocu Platform and/or your account;
• suspend or remove Workshop Listings, Reviews, or other Content;
• cancel pending or confirmed bookings; or
• suspend or revoke any special status associated with your account.

For minor violations or where otherwise appropriate as wocu determines in its sole discretion, you will be given notice of any intended measure by wocu and an opportunity to resolve the issue. You may appeal actions taken by us under this Section by contacting customer service. If a Reservation is cancelled under this Section, the amount paid to the Host will be reduced by the amount we refund or otherwise provide to the Guest, and by any other costs we incur as a result of the cancellation.

wocu may take any action it determines is reasonably necessary to comply with applicable law, or the order or request of a court, law enforcement, or other administrative agency or governmental body, including the measures described above in Section 14.3.

If you are a Host and terminate your wocu account, any confirmed booking(s) will be automatically cancelled and your Guests will receive a full refund. If you terminate your account as a Guest, any confirmed booking(s) will be automatically cancelled and any refund will depend upon these Terms of Service’s cancellation policy. When this agreement has been terminated, you are not entitled to a restoration of your account or any of your Content. If your access to or use of the wocu Platform has been limited, or your wocu account has been suspended, or this agreement has been terminated by us, you may not register a new account or access or use the wocu Platform through an account of another Member.

Parts of these Terms that by their nature survive termination, will survive termination of this agreement, including Sections 1 through 24.

This Arbitration Agreement applies to all disputes between wocu and its users within the United States. Since wocu operates solely in the US, this section is applicable to all wocu users, covering issues of arbitrability, venue, and applicable law.

wocu commits to a simple and equitable dispute resolution process. This involves: (1) an informal negotiation with wocu’s customer service team, and (2) binding arbitration administered by a recognized arbitration association in the United States for unresolved disputes. Alternatively, parties may seek resolution in a small claims court.

Prior to initiating arbitration, both parties are required to notify each other in writing of the dispute at least 30 days in advance, and attempt in good faith to resolve it informally. You should send your notice of dispute to wocu at the following address: 418 Broadway STE N, Albany, NY 12207. wocu will send its notice to the email address associated with your account. A notice of dispute must include: your name and contact information, a brief description of the dispute, and the relief sought. If the dispute is not resolved within 30 days, either party may then proceed to arbitration.

You and wocu mutually agree that any dispute, claim, or controversy arising out of or relating to these Terms or the use of the wocu platform will be settled by binding individual arbitration. If there is a dispute about whether this Arbitration Agreement can be enforced or applies to your dispute, it will be determined by the arbitrator.

You and wocu agree that certain disputes will be exempt from arbitration and instead brought in a court of competent jurisdiction (as per Section 23). These exceptions include: (i) claims involving infringement or violation of intellectual property rights; (ii) cases requiring emergency injunctive relief (e.g., imminent danger, criminal activity, hacking); (iii) requests for public injunctive relief; and (iv) individual claims of sexual assault or harassment arising from using the wocu platform.

The arbitration will be governed by the Federal Arbitration Act, reflecting interstate commerce involvement. It will be administered in accordance with the Consumer Arbitration Rules of the AAA, except as modified here. For initiating arbitration, a completed demand must be filed with the AAA and provided to the other party as per the AAA rules.

For arbitration convenience, wocu agrees that hearings may be conducted: (a) in the U.S. county where you reside; (b) in the county where wocu is located; or (c) via phone or video conference. If the controversy amount is $5,000 or less, arbitration will proceed solely on document submission.

Arbitration fees and arbitrator compensation are governed by AAA Rules. Either party may request attorney’s fees and costs if the other party’s claim is found groundless, frivolous, or made in bad faith, in accordance with applicable law and AAA Rules.

The arbitrator’s decision will include essential findings and conclusions. Judgment on the arbitration award may be entered in any court with jurisdiction. The arbitrator may award any legally permitted relief, but declaratory or injunctive relief is limited to individual claims.

Both parties waive the right to a jury trial for all arbitrable disputes.

Both parties waive the right to participate in class action lawsuits, class-wide arbitration, or representative proceedings. Claims cannot be consolidated unless agreed upon in writing. Claims, actions, or remedies not subject to arbitration will be stayed until arbitrable claims are resolved.

If any part of this Arbitration Agreement is deemed illegal or unenforceable, it will be severed, while the remainder remains effective.

If wocu modifies Section 24 after you last accepted these Terms, you can reject the change by written notice within 30 days of its effectiveness. Rejecting a change doesn’t affect previous arbitration agreements between you and wocu.

Apart from Section 24.11 and subject to Section 14.6, this Section 24 survives termination of these Terms and remains applicable even if you stop using the wocu platform or terminate your account.

The Privacy Policy of wocu is incorporated by reference and forms part of your agreement with wocu. This policy applies to your use of the wocu platform and outlines how we handle personal information and data. It’s accessible directly on the wocu platform.

These Terms, along with any additional terms, conditions, policies, guidelines, standards, and disclosures provided in the wocu platform, constitute the entire agreement between wocu and you regarding your use of the service. They supersede prior understandings or agreements. These Terms are intended to confer rights only to you and wocu. If any provision is invalid or unenforceable, it will be struck, not affecting the remainder. The term “will” in these Terms signifies an obligation equivalent to “shall.”

The failure of wocu to enforce any right or provision in these Terms does not constitute a waiver of such right or provision unless acknowledged in writing by wocu. The exercise of any remedies under these Terms by either party is without prejudice to its other remedies under these Terms or under law.

You may not assign, transfer, or delegate this agreement or your rights and obligations hereunder without wocu’s prior written consent. wocu may assign, transfer, or delegate this agreement and any rights and obligations, at its sole discretion, with 30 days’ prior notice.

Unless otherwise specified, any notices or communications to users under this agreement will be provided electronically. wocu will deliver such communications via email, platform notification, or any other contact method enabled by wocu and provided by the user. This electronic communication method will suffice for all notices and communications required under these Terms.

The wocu platform may include links to third-party websites, applications, services, or resources (“Third-Party Services”) which are governed by their own terms and privacy policies. wocu is not responsible or liable for the content, functionality, or practices of such Third-Party Services. The inclusion of links to Third-Party Services does not constitute an endorsement by wocu.

Content available through the wocu platform may be protected by copyright, trademark, and other laws. You acknowledge that all intellectual property rights in such content belong to wocu or its licensors. You agree not to remove, alter, or obscure any copyright or trademark notices. Use of the content is limited to personal, non-commercial purposes unless you are the legal owner or have explicit permission from wocu. wocu grants you a limited license to access and view the content for your personal use, in compliance with these Terms.

wocu shall not be liable for any failure or delay in performing its obligations where such failure or delay results from any cause that is beyond wocu’s reasonable control. Specifically, this includes but is not limited to service disruptions due to severe natural disasters, widespread internet outages, significant political unrest, or other similar events that significantly impair the functionality of the wocu platform.

You will receive administrative and essential communication from wocu using the email address or other contact information provided in your wocu account. While enrollment in promotional email programs is optional and won’t affect the frequency of administrative emails, opting into these programs may result in additional emails related to the program(s). Promotional emails are free of charge, but standard data rates may apply. You can manage your preferences for promotional communications in your account settings. Be aware that disabling certain communications might limit your access to specific wocu promotions.

If you have any questions about these Terms please email us.