1. Who We Are

The Bulgarian Cultural Institute London promotes Bulgarian culture, arts, literature, music, cinema, theatre and cultural heritage in the United Kingdom.

The Institute operates under the Bulgarian Ministry of Culture and supports cultural exchange between Bulgaria and the United Kingdom.

This Privacy Policy concerns personal information handled in connection with our website: www.bcilondon.uk and our related cultural activities.

For questions about personal information, you may contact the Institute at:

Bulgarian Cultural Institute London
188 Queen’s Gate
South Kensington
London SW7 5HL
United Kingdom

Email: info@bcilondon.com

2. Information We Collect

Depending on how you interact with us, we may process the following categories of personal information:

• Name, email address and telephone number when you contact the Institute.
• Information you provide when making enquiries about cultural events, exhibitions, workshops or partnerships.
• Registration information where advance registration for an event is offered.
• Email addresses provided when subscribing to our newsletter.
• Technical information such as IP address, browser type, device information and website access logs.
• Information submitted through website comments or user accounts, where those functions are enabled.
• Photographs or recordings where individuals participate in documented cultural events.

We aim to collect only the information necessary for the relevant activity. Please avoid sending sensitive personal information unless it has been specifically requested and is necessary.

3. How We Use Your Information

Personal information may be used to:

• Respond to enquiries and correspondence.
• Organise cultural events, exhibitions, performances, workshops and educational activities.
• Manage registrations and communicate essential information to participants.
• Send newsletters and cultural updates where you have subscribed.
• Maintain website functionality, security and technical reliability.
• Develop cultural partnerships and professional collaborations.
• Meet applicable legal obligations.

Legal bases for processing

Under applicable UK data protection law, the legal basis depends on the purpose. It may include:

• Consent: for optional newsletter subscriptions and other activities requiring your permission.
• Legitimate interests: where appropriate for responding to enquiries, administering cultural activities, maintaining website security and supporting the Institute’s work, subject to balancing those interests against individuals’ rights.
• Contractual necessity: where information is necessary to provide a service or registration requested by you.
• Legal obligations: where information must be processed to comply with applicable law.

Where another legal basis applies to a particular activity, relevant information will be provided when the data is collected.

4. Cultural Events and Photography

The Institute organises and supports exhibitions, concerts, theatrical performances, literary events, film screenings and educational programmes.

Where an event requires registration, we may collect information needed to administer attendance and communicate with participants.

Certain cultural events may be photographed or filmed for documentation, reporting and the promotion of cultural activities.

Where applicable, information about photography and filming will be communicated at the event. We will seek permission where required by law, particularly where children’s information or images require additional protection.

If you have concerns about an image in which you appear, please contact the Institute. We will consider your request in accordance with applicable data protection law.

5. Newsletter and Communications

Visitors may choose to subscribe to receive information about exhibitions, performances, concerts, workshops and other cultural activities.

Where the newsletter service is available, we use the email address supplied for that purpose. A newsletter service provider may process subscription information on our behalf.

You may withdraw your consent at any time using the unsubscribe option provided in our newsletters or by contacting us.

Unsubscribing will not affect essential communications relating to an event for which you have registered.

6. Cookies and Website Technologies

Our website is built using WordPress. Cookies and similar technologies may be used to support website functionality, security and visitor preferences.

Depending on the services enabled, these technologies may include:

• Essential cookies required for website security and functionality.
• Preference storage used to remember settings such as light or dark appearance.
• WordPress login or comment-related cookies where these features are enabled.
• Analytics technologies, if used to understand and improve the website.
• Third-party technologies associated with embedded media, where present.

Under the UK Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations, technologies that are not covered by a legal exception require consent before being used.

Certain limited technologies for statistical purposes or appearance preferences may qualify for specific legal exceptions, provided all relevant conditions are met, including appropriate information and an easy means of objection.

You can manage cookies through your browser and through any cookie preference controls made available on our website.

7. Embedded Content and External Websites

Our website may include photographs, videos, maps or other content provided through external services.

Embedded content may behave as though you had visited the provider’s website directly. Depending on the service, that provider may collect technical data, use cookies or monitor interactions with the embedded content.

External links, including links to cultural partners and social media platforms, are governed by the privacy policies of their respective operators.

We encourage visitors to review those policies before sharing information with external services.

8. Who We Share Information With

Personal information may be shared only where necessary for legitimate cultural, administrative, operational or legal purposes.

Depending on the activity, recipients may include:

• Website hosting and technical support providers.
• Newsletter and email service providers.
• Cultural partners or event organisers, where sharing is necessary for a relevant activity and lawful.
• Relevant administrative bodies and public authorities where required by law.
• Security and anti-spam service providers, where such services are enabled.

Where providers process personal information on our behalf, appropriate data protection arrangements are required.

We do not use personal information collected for cultural enquiries or newsletter subscriptions for unrelated third-party advertising purposes.

9. International Data Transfers

Because the Institute promotes cultural cooperation between Bulgaria and the United Kingdom, some activities may involve communication or coordination across national borders.

Certain service providers may also process personal information outside the United Kingdom.

Where an international transfer is restricted by applicable data protection law, an appropriate legal transfer mechanism or safeguard must be used.

Information about safeguards applicable to a particular transfer may be requested through our privacy contact details.

10. How Long We Keep Information

Personal information is retained only for as long as necessary for the purpose for which it was collected, taking into account legal obligations and reasonable administrative requirements.

• Enquiries: retained for the time necessary to respond and deal with relevant follow-up correspondence.
• Event registrations: retained for event administration and any necessary follow-up, subject to applicable obligations.
• Newsletter subscriptions: maintained while the subscription remains active, with limited records retained where necessary to honour an unsubscribe request.
• Website technical records: retained according to operational and security requirements.
• Comments and accounts: where enabled, retained as necessary for moderation, account administration and applicable legal requirements.

Retention may also depend on whether information forms part of an authorised cultural archive or another record subject to a specific legal obligation.

11. Your Data Protection Rights

Under applicable UK data protection legislation, you may have the right to:

• Request access to your personal information.
• Request correction of inaccurate information.
• Request deletion of information in certain circumstances.
• Request restriction of certain processing.
• Object to processing based on legitimate interests or other applicable grounds.
• Request data portability where applicable.
• Withdraw consent where processing relies on your consent.

These rights are subject to applicable legal conditions and exceptions. Not every right applies to every processing activity.

To exercise your rights, please contact info@bcilondon.com .

We may request information necessary to verify your identity before disclosing or changing personal information.

We will respond within the period required by applicable data protection law.

12. Information Security

We recognise the importance of protecting personal information against unauthorised access, loss, alteration and disclosure.

Appropriate technical and organisational safeguards should be applied to the handling of personal information, taking account of the risks involved.

No method of online transmission or electronic storage can be guaranteed to be completely secure.

13. Children’s Privacy

Some cultural activities may be suitable for children and families.

Where information about children is needed for an activity, it should be limited to what is necessary. Information may be requested from a parent or guardian where appropriate.

Additional care is required when processing children’s personal information or publishing images in which children can be identified.

14. Questions and Complaints

If you have questions or concerns about how the Institute has handled your personal information, please contact us using the details below.

We will acknowledge a data protection complaint within 30 days and take appropriate steps to investigate it, keep you informed and communicate the outcome without undue delay.

You also have the right to complain to the UK’s independent data protection regulator, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).

ICO website: www.ico.org.uk

15. Changes to This Policy

This Privacy Policy may be updated when our activities, website services, data processing practices or applicable legal requirements change.

The most recent version will be published on this page. Where required, we will provide additional notice of material changes.