Terms & Conditions (Algemene Voorwaarden) – Amsterdam Creatief

1. The Agreement & Scope

By completing a booking and paying tuition, you enter into a binding Agreement of Instruction with Jacob Watrous, trading as Amsterdam Creatief (KVK #____________) (hereinafter referred to as "Amsterdam Creatief"). These terms apply exclusively to all vocational training, short courses, and mentorship residencies. As the residency is a holistic vocational process, the curriculum is structurally non-severable. No pro-rata refunds, credits, or fee exemptions are granted for prior experience, skipped components, or partial attendance. Participation does not grant legally recognized degrees or ECTS credits.

2. Information & Transparency

  • 2.1 Truthful Representation: All information regarding course levels, instructional content, and educational objectives is a fair, accurate reflection of the professional vocational training offered.

  • 2.2 Study Load: Tuition covers the entire study load across all phases (Onboarding, Intake, Roadmap Design, Field Study, and Synthesis). Any physical materials, films, or specialty papers to be purchased independently by the participant will be fully disclosed in advance.

  • 2.3 Response Times: Amsterdam Creatief strives to answer administrative and logistical questions within forty-eight (48) hours. If an inquiry requires extensive research or scheduling confirmation, an acknowledgment of receipt will be transmitted within that time alongside an estimated resolution date.

3. Payment & Registration

  • 3.1 Tuition: To secure a residency calendar window, 100% of the tuition is payable at the time of enrollment. This payment ensures the immediate commencement of the Bespoke Curriculum Design phase. Execution of payment constitutes absolute, unreserved acceptance of these Terms & Conditions.

  • 3.2 Installments: For advanced, multi-month mentorship programs exceeding €2,500, a structured payment plan may be requested and granted at the sole discretion of Amsterdam Creatief.

  • 3.3 Refund Processing: All valid reimbursements (e.g., in the absolute event of an instructor-led cancellation) will be processed back to the original payment method within fourteen (14) days.

4. Right of Withdrawal (14-Day Cooling-off Period)

  • 4.1 Standard Rule: In accordance with Dutch and European consumer protection laws, individual consumers residing in the EU have a statutory 14-day cooling-off period to cancel an online registration without penalty, provided performance of the service has not yet commenced.

  • 4.2 Waiver for Immediate Service & Pro-Rata Performance: If a residency is scheduled to begin within 14 days of booking, the participant must explicitly declare and acknowledge at checkout that they request immediate performance and thereby waive their statutory 14-day right of withdrawal. Upon booking, Phase 1 design labor begins instantly. If the participant subsequently exercises a valid right of withdrawal before the Field Study occurs, they agree to pay an amount proportional to the diagnostic and architectural services already rendered, calculated strictly based on the phase allocations detailed in Section 5.

  • 4.3 B2B Exception: In accordance with Dutch commercial law, the statutory 14-day cooling-off period applies strictly to private consumers (B2C). It does not apply to any bookings, residencies, or contracts executed on behalf of a company, employer, or commercial ZZP entity.

5. The Three-Phase Instructional Model & Cancellations

  • 5.1 Phases: To guarantee structural educational depth, a residency is executed as a unified process across three distinct phases: (Phase 1) Onboarding, Preparation, & Intake; (Phase 2) Roadmap Architecture & Refinement; and (Phase 3) The Field Study.

  • 5.2 Customization Fee Allocation & Milestones: Because your residency is constructed entirely from scratch, intellectual labor commences upon enrollment. Tuition is structurally allocated across the design and implementation milestones as follows:

    • 5.2.1 Phase 1 (Onboarding & Intake) — 25% of Total Tuition: Cancellations made by the participant prior to Amsterdam Creatief transmitting the initial customized intake curriculum framework or formal instructional contact via email will receive a 100% refund, provided the cancellation occurs more than 48 hours prior to the scheduled Phase 3 Field Study. However, the moment Amsterdam Creatief transmits this initial digital intake contact via email (provable by the email sent timestamp), Phase 1 is deemed 100% executed. From that exact milestone onward, this 25% allocation is strictly non-refundable, as the initial diagnostic and administrative design phase has been delivered.

    • 5.2.2 Phase 2 (Roadmap Architecture) — An Additional 25% of Total Tuition: This phase covers the progressive, collaborative refinement of your technical protocols and local route mapping. Once the finalized digital Creative Brief detailing your specific learning goals and tailored itinerary has been transmitted to you via email (provable by the email sent timestamp), Phase 2 is deemed 100% executed. At this milestone, an aggregate 50% of the total tuition fee becomes entirely non-refundable.

    • 5.2.3 Phase 3 (Field Study) — The Remaining 50% of Total Tuition: This phase represents the live, synchronized, in-person instructional execution window. Phase 3 is contractually deemed 100% commenced, executed, and non-refundable the exact minute the scheduled session start time arrives. Because this instructional window has been exclusively reserved for the participant to the exclusion of all other business, the financial boundaries of the Field Study are absolute:

      • Late Arrivals: Client-initiated delays do not extend the instructional window or push back the scheduled conclusion time. The session will end precisely at the hour specified in the Creative Brief.

      • Early Departures / Interruptions: If the participant chooses to conclude the session early, steps away, or terminates the Field Study due to fatigue, personal schedule conflicts, or standard environmental weather preferences, no pro-rata refunds or make-up hours will be issued.

      • No-Shows: Failure to arrive at the designated meeting point within thirty (30) minutes of the scheduled start time without prior written notification will be treated as an unannounced client cancellation, resulting in the immediate forfeiture of the entire Phase 3 tuition allocation.

    • 5.2.4 Milestone Refund Summary: For cancellations made by the participant more than 48 hours prior to the Phase 3 Field Study, any refund will be calculated strictly based on these completed phase milestones. If Phase 1 is complete but Phase 2 is mid-iteration, a 75% refund is issued. If Phase 2 is complete, a 50% refund is issued.

  • 5.3 Short-Notice Cancellations: Cancellations made by the participant within forty-eight (48) hours of the scheduled Phase 3 Field Study are 100% non-refundable, as the custom curriculum is finalized and the instructional window has been exclusively reserved to the exclusion of other clients.

  • 5.4 Weather as Opportunity: Sessions proceed in all weather conditions. Amsterdam's maritime climate and changing ambient illumination are treated as structural instructional assets. Sessions will only be rescheduled or refunded if the KNMI (Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute) issues an official Code Orange or Code Red weather warning for the region. The Participant is solely responsible for providing adequate weather and moisture protection for their personal equipment and dressing appropriately for the day’s weather. Jacob Watrous/Amsterdam Creatief carries zero liability for any equipment damage due to environmental exposure. If Amsterdam Creatief cancels a session due to acute safety hazards, a full reschedule of the Field Study or a 100% refund of the Phase 3 allocation (equivalent to 50% of the total tuition fee) will be provided.

6. Confidentiality, Privacy & Copyright

  • 6.1 Confidentiality: All proprietary creative workflows, personal visual files, and business strategies shared by participants during the intake or field study are treated with strict confidentiality by Amsterdam Creatief.

  • 6.2 GDPR: Personal data is collected, stored, and used solely for session design, internal communication, and logistical coordination in strict compliance with Dutch and European privacy laws.

  • 6.3 Intellectual Property: Amsterdam Creatief remains the sole copyright owner of all physical and digital course materials, curriculum frameworks, and written briefs. Participants receive an exclusive, non-transferable, personal-use right for their individual instructional copies.

7. Use of Participant Work & Vocational Case Studies

  • 7.1 Consent-Based: Following the completion of a residency, Amsterdam Creatief may request permission to utilize specific visual records (sketches, photographs, or portfolio progress files) produced during a session for educational "Case Studies" or digital documentation. These materials will only be published with the express, voluntary written consent of the Participant.

  • 7.2 Anonymization: To protect the professional identity of our corporate and private clients, all published case studies utilize the Participant’s first name and last initial only. Consent may be revoked by the participant at any time via written notice to email.

8. Complaints Procedure & Binding Appeal

  • 8.1 Internal Resolution: Complaints regarding the execution of the training must be submitted in writing to jacob@amsterdamcreatief.nl. Amsterdam Creatief will formally acknowledge receipt within 48 hours and provide a detailed written proposed resolution within four (4) weeks. All complaint records are kept securely on file for a minimum of two (2) years.

  • 8.2 Independent Third Party: If a dispute cannot be resolved satisfactorily through internal channels, it will be referred to an independent, qualified mediator (e.g., Stichting Geschillencommissie).

  • 8.3 Binding Decision: The ruling or decision of the independent third-party mediator is contractually binding on both parties. However, if the Participant is a consumer (B2C), they retain the statutory right to opt for settlement by a competent civil court in the Netherlands instead, provided they invoke this right in writing within one month after Amsterdam Creatief has invoked this clause.

9. Liability & Indemnification

  • 9.1 Standard of Liability: Jacob Watrous and Amsterdam Creatief carry zero liability for any damages, loss, or theft of the Participant’s property, nor for any personal injury, unless caused directly by the intentional gross negligence (opzet) or willful recklessness (bewuste roekeloosheid) of Jacob Watrous or Amsterdam Creatief.

  • 9.2 Insurance & Financial Limitation: Any proven liability of Amsterdam Creatief is strictly limited to the amount actually paid out under the professional liability insurance policy for the specific claim in question. If, for any reason, no insurance payment is applicable, the maximum aggregate liability of Jacob Watrous or Amsterdam Creatief for any claim arising out of or in connection with the residency shall be strictly limited to the total fee (excluding VAT) paid by the Participant for that specific assignment.

  • 9.3 Environmental & Third-Party Risk: Amsterdam Creatief operates in public urban environments, historic architectural spaces, and third-party venues. Amsterdam Creatief carries no responsibility for the maintenance, safety, or physical accessibility of these external environments. Participants are solely responsible for their own physical safety, navigation of the walking components of the residency, and the security of their personal gear.

  • 9.4 Third-Party Indemnification: The Participant shall fully indemnify and hold Jacob Watrous and Amsterdam Creatief harmless against any and all third-party claims (including, but not limited to, claims from venue owners, municipal property managers, or members of the public) arising directly from the Participant’s actions, conduct, or negligence during the residency.

  • 9.5 Professional Outcome: While Amsterdam Creatief provides professional, high-level vocational training, creative mentorship is an intensely subjective creative process. Amsterdam Creatief is not liable for the Participant’s failure to achieve specific external professional, commercial, or creative milestones following the completion of the training.

10. Termination for Cause

Amsterdam Creatief reserves the absolute right to terminate a residency or field study immediately, mid-session, and without any refund if the Participant engages in illegal activity, verbal or physical harassment, or behavior that threatens the personal safety or dignity of Jacob Watrous, venue staff, or members of the public. In such extreme cases, the full tuition fee remains entirely earned by Amsterdam Creatief.

11. Applicable Law

This Agreement is governed exclusively by Dutch Law. All disputes shall be submitted exclusively to the competent court in the district where Amsterdam Creatief is officially registered (Amsterdam, Noord-Holland).