Privacy Policy & Cookie Policy

Last updated: 07 May 2026

This Privacy Policy & Cookie Policy explains how FUNDAȚIA CULTURALĂ PRO ARTE collects, uses, stores, and protects personal data through the website www.dinulipatticompetition.org.

This policy also explains how cookies and similar technologies are used on this website.

By using this website, submitting a form, or applying to participate in the Dinu Lipatti International Piano Competition, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy & Cookie Policy.

This document is intended to provide clear information in accordance with the principles of the General Data Protection Regulation, including transparency, purpose limitation, data minimisation, storage limitation, integrity, confidentiality, and accountability.

1. Data Controller

The data controller responsible for the processing of personal data through this website is:

FUNDAȚIA CULTURALĂ PRO ARTE

Fiscal domicile: Municipality of Craiova, Dolj County, Romania

Unique Identification Code / CUI: 9479579

Email: contact@dinulipatticompetition.org

For any privacy-related request, please contact us at:

contact@dinulipatticompetition.org

2. Personal Data We Collect

We may collect personal data when you visit the website, complete a form, register for the competition, contact us, or interact with our online content.

Depending on the context, we may collect the following categories of personal data.

2.1. Identification and Contact Data

This may include:

  • full name;
  • email address;
  • phone number, if requested;
  • nationality;
  • country of residence;
  • date of birth;
  • other identification or contact details required for competition administration.

2.2. Competition Application Data

When applying for the Dinu Lipatti International Piano Competition, applicants may be asked to provide:

  • ID card;
  • portrait photo;
  • artistic biography in PDF format;
  • repertoire information;
  • video or recording links;
  • proof of payment of the application fee;
  • other information necessary for registration, eligibility verification, evaluation, communication, and competition organization.

The ID card, portrait photo, and biography in PDF format will be collected through Google Forms.

2.3. Communication Data

If you contact us by email or through a website form, we may process:

  • your name;
  • your email address;
  • the content of your message;
  • any information or files you choose to send us.

2.4. Technical and Usage Data

When you visit the website, certain technical information may be collected automatically, including:

  • IP address;
  • browser type and version;
  • device type;
  • operating system;
  • pages visited;
  • date and time of access;
  • approximate location derived from technical data;
  • referral source;
  • interactions with website elements.

Some of this data may be collected through cookies or similar technologies, depending on your consent choices.

3. How We Collect Personal Data

We collect personal data in the following ways:

  • directly from you, when you submit a registration form, contact form, email, document, or application;
  • automatically, when you visit the website and cookies or similar technologies are used;
  • through third-party services, including Google Forms, Google Analytics, Google Tag Manager, Google Fonts, CookieAdmin, and WordPress-related technologies.

4. Purposes of Processing

We process personal data for the purposes described below.

4.1. Competition Registration and Administration

We process applicant data in order to:

  • receive and review applications;
  • verify applicant eligibility;
  • identify applicants and participants;
  • process competition documents;
  • organize competition rounds;
  • communicate with applicants and participants;
  • prepare official participant lists, schedules, and internal documentation;
  • manage the artistic, administrative, and logistical aspects of the competition.

4.2. Evaluation and Competition Management

We may process applicant data for:

  • jury evaluation;
  • repertoire verification;
  • candidate identification;
  • preparation of competition materials;
  • communication with the organizing team and authorized competition personnel;
  • confirmation of registration and payment status.

4.3. Public Communication Related to the Competition

Where relevant to the competition, we may publish or communicate publicly certain participant-related information, including:

  • participant name;
  • nationality or country;
  • portrait photo;
  • artistic biography;
  • repertoire or performance-related information;
  • competition results;
  • awards and distinctions;
  • recordings, photos, or video materials from the competition.

We will not publish ID cards, payment proof, or other private administrative documents.

4.4. Communication

We may process personal data to:

  • respond to enquiries;
  • send administrative information;
  • provide competition-related updates;
  • communicate with participants, partners, sponsors, jury members, media representatives, and other stakeholders.

At the moment, we do not use the website for newsletter or marketing email subscriptions.

4.5. Legal, Financial, and Accounting Obligations

We may process data where necessary to:

  • confirm payment by bank transfer;
  • keep financial and accounting records;
  • comply with legal, tax, accounting, or regulatory obligations;
  • respond to lawful requests from public authorities;
  • protect our legal interests.

4.6. Website Operation and Security

We may process technical data to:

  • operate and maintain the website;
  • ensure website security;
  • prevent abuse, spam, fraud, or unauthorized access;
  • diagnose technical errors;
  • improve website performance and functionality.

4.7. Analytics and Website Improvement

With your consent, we may use Google Analytics and related technologies to understand how visitors use the website and to improve its structure, content, usability, and performance.

5. Legal Bases for Processing

We process personal data under one or more of the following legal bases.

5.1. Contractual Necessity

We may process personal data when it is necessary to manage your application and participation in the competition, including registration, eligibility verification, evaluation, communication, and competition administration.

5.2. Legal Obligation

We may process personal data where required by law, including for accounting, tax, legal, or regulatory purposes.

5.3. Legitimate Interest

We may process personal data where necessary for our legitimate interests, including:

  • organizing and managing the competition;
  • responding to enquiries;
  • maintaining website security;
  • keeping administrative records;
  • documenting the competition;
  • communicating about official competition results and cultural activities;
  • protecting our rights and interests.

When relying on legitimate interest, we consider the rights, freedoms, and reasonable expectations of the data subjects.

5.4. Consent

We may rely on your consent for:

  • non-essential cookies;
  • analytics technologies;
  • certain third-party scripts;
  • optional publication or use of certain personal materials, where consent is required;
  • any future optional communications that may require consent.

Under GDPR, valid consent must be freely given, specific, informed, and unambiguous, and must involve a clear affirmative action. Consent must also be withdrawable. 

6. Use of Applicant Materials

Applicants may submit materials such as biographies, portrait photos, video links, repertoire information, and artistic details.

These materials may be used for:

  • registration and application processing;
  • eligibility verification;
  • jury evaluation;
  • internal competition administration;
  • official competition communication;
  • public presentation of selected participants, finalists, laureates, prize winners, or competition results;
  • media, archive, and cultural documentation related to the competition.

We will not publish or disclose ID cards, payment proof, or private administrative documents, except where required by law or necessary for authorized internal administration.

Participant names, photos, biographies, nationalities, results, and recordings may be published on the website, in press materials, in social media communication, and in other official communication channels of the competition, where relevant to the organization, promotion, documentation, or public presentation of the competition.

7. Bank Transfer Payments

The competition application fee is paid by bank transfer.

We may process payment-related information such as:

  • payer name;
  • bank transaction reference;
  • payment confirmation;
  • proof of payment;
  • amount paid;
  • date of payment.

We do not process card payment details through this website.

8. Third-Party Services

This website may use third-party services that process data according to their own privacy policies, technical documentation, and terms.

8.1. WordPress

The website is built on WordPress. WordPress may use cookies and technical technologies necessary for website functionality, administration, security, and content management.

8.2. Google Forms

Google Forms is used to collect registration information and application documents.

Through Google Forms, applicants may submit personal data and documents such as:

  • ID card;
  • portrait photo;
  • biography in PDF format;
  • repertoire details;
  • video or recording links;
  • payment proof;
  • other application-related information.

Data submitted through Google Forms may be processed by Google as a third-party service provider.

8.3. Google Analytics

Google Analytics is used to collect statistical and analytical information about how visitors use the website, subject to cookie consent.

Google Analytics may collect information such as:

  • pages visited;
  • session duration;
  • device and browser information;
  • approximate location;
  • referral source;
  • website interactions.

Google Analytics should be activated only according to the visitor’s cookie consent preferences.

8.4. Google Tag Manager

Google Tag Manager is used to manage scripts, tags, analytics tools, and other technologies on the website.

Google Tag Manager includes consent-related features that help manage how tags behave depending on user consent settings, including consent initialization and tag-level consent settings. 

Non-essential tags, including analytics tags, should not be activated before the visitor provides the relevant consent through the cookie consent tool.

8.5. Google Fonts

The website uses Google Fonts loaded from Google servers.

When Google Fonts are loaded from Google servers, the visitor’s browser connects to Google domains in order to retrieve the font files. According to Google’s documentation, the Google Fonts API does not set or log cookies, but Google may receive technical information such as the user’s IP address, requested URL, and HTTP headers as part of the font delivery process. 

8.6. CookieAdmin

The website uses the CookieAdmin plugin to manage cookie information and user consent preferences.

CookieAdmin may be used to:

  • display the cookie banner;
  • allow visitors to accept, reject, or customize cookie preferences;
  • store consent choices;
  • help control the activation of non-essential cookies and scripts.

9. International Data Transfers

Some third-party service providers, including Google services, may process data on servers located outside the European Economic Area.

Where personal data is transferred internationally, such transfers should rely on appropriate safeguards required by applicable data protection law, such as adequacy decisions, standard contractual clauses, or other lawful transfer mechanisms.

10. Data Retention

We retain personal data only for as long as necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, including competition administration, legal obligations, accounting requirements, dispute resolution, archival purposes, and legitimate organizational interests.

Because the Dinu Lipatti International Piano Competition is a cultural and artistic event, certain public information related to editions, participants, finalists, laureates, prize winners, jury members, official results, press releases, recordings, photos, and historical records may be retained for archival, cultural, institutional, documentary, or public-interest purposes.

Application documents that are not required for legal, accounting, archival, cultural, or legitimate administrative purposes will not be kept longer than necessary.

Retention is assessed based on:

  • the nature of the data;
  • the purpose of processing;
  • applicable legal obligations;
  • the need to document the competition;
  • the rights and interests of the data subject;
  • the Foundation’s legitimate administrative, cultural, historical, and institutional interests.

Users may request deletion of their personal data, subject to legal, contractual, accounting, archival, cultural, or legitimate grounds that may require continued retention.

11. Data Security

We take reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect personal data against unauthorized access, loss, misuse, alteration, disclosure, or destruction.

These measures may include:

  • restricted access to application data;
  • secure account access;
  • administrative controls;
  • use of trusted service providers;
  • limited access to forms and submitted documents;
  • regular review of website and form access;
  • reasonable security practices for digital storage.

However, no online transmission or storage system can be guaranteed to be completely secure.

12. Who Has Access to Personal Data

Personal data may be accessed by authorized persons or entities where necessary, including:

  • authorized representatives of FUNDAȚIA CULTURALĂ PRO ARTE;
  • members of the organizing team;
  • competition management;
  • jury or evaluation-related personnel, where relevant;
  • website administrators;
  • technical service providers;
  • accounting or legal advisors;
  • public authorities, where required by law.

We do not sell personal data.

13. Your Rights Under GDPR

If GDPR applies to your personal data, you may have the following rights:

  • the right to be informed about the processing of your personal data;
  • the right to access your personal data;
  • the right to request correction of inaccurate or incomplete data;
  • the right to request deletion of your personal data;
  • the right to request restriction of processing;
  • the right to object to processing;
  • the right to data portability;
  • the right to withdraw consent where processing is based on consent;
  • the right to lodge a complaint with a competent data protection authority.

The European Commission describes GDPR rights such as the right to be informed, access, rectification, erasure, restriction, objection, and data portability. 

To exercise your rights, please contact us at:

contact@dinulipatticompetition.org

We may need to verify your identity before responding to certain requests.

14. Minors

The Dinu Lipatti International Piano Competition does not accept applications from minors through this website.

Applicants must be at least 18 years old at the time of application.

If we become aware that personal data has been submitted by a person under the age of 18, we may delete the relevant data, unless there is a legal or legitimate reason to retain it.

15. What Are Cookies?

Cookies are small text files placed on your device when you visit a website. They help websites function, remember preferences, measure usage, and provide certain features.

Similar technologies may include pixels, tags, scripts, local storage, and tracking technologies.

Some cookies are strictly necessary for the website to work. Others, such as analytics or marketing cookies, require your prior consent.

16. Types of Cookies and Similar Technologies We Use

16.1. Strictly Necessary Cookies

These cookies are required for the website to function properly.

They may be used for:

  • website security;
  • page navigation;
  • form functionality;
  • cookie consent preference storage;
  • WordPress technical functionality;
  • basic website operation.

Strictly necessary cookies do not require consent because they are necessary for the operation of the website.

16.2. Analytics Cookies

With your consent, we use analytics cookies to understand how visitors interact with the website.

These cookies may collect information such as:

  • pages visited;
  • time spent on pages;
  • browser and device information;
  • approximate location;
  • referral source;
  • website interactions.

Google Analytics may be used for this purpose.

16.3. Functionality Cookies and Technologies

These cookies or technologies may help improve the website experience, display content correctly, or support website features.

Google Fonts loaded from Google servers may involve a technical request from your browser to Google servers in order to display fonts correctly.

16.4. Third-Party Cookies and Similar Technologies

Third-party services such as Google Analytics, Google Tag Manager, Google Forms, Google Fonts, and CookieAdmin may use cookies or similar technologies, depending on how they are configured and on your consent choices.

17. Cookie Consent

When you first visit the website, the CookieAdmin plugin may display a cookie banner that allows you to:

  • accept all cookies;
  • reject non-essential cookies;
  • customize your preferences;
  • change your consent choices.

Non-essential cookies and tracking technologies should not be loaded before you provide the relevant consent.

Consent must be based on a clear affirmative action. Scrolling, continued browsing, or inactivity should not be treated as valid consent for non-essential cookies.

18. Managing Cookies

You can manage cookies and consent preferences through:

  • the website’s CookieAdmin consent banner or cookie settings panel;
  • your browser settings;
  • privacy controls made available by third-party providers.

You may block or delete cookies through your browser settings. However, blocking certain cookies may affect the functionality or performance of the website.

19. Cookies and Technologies Used on This Website

The exact cookies used on the website may depend on the active WordPress configuration, CookieAdmin settings, Google Tag Manager setup, Google Analytics implementation, Google Forms integration, Google Fonts loading, and any other plugins used on the website.

The website may use the following cookies and technologies.

WordPress Technical Cookies

Provider: Website / WordPress

Purpose: website functionality, technical operation, administration, and security

Type: strictly necessary

Duration: session or variable

CookieAdmin Consent Cookies

Provider: CookieAdmin

Purpose: storing cookie consent choices and user preferences

Type: strictly necessary

Duration: variable

Google Analytics Cookies

Provider: Google

Purpose: analytics and website usage measurement

Type: analytics

Duration: variable

Google Tag Manager

Provider: Google

Purpose: tag and script management

Type: technical or analytics, depending on the configured tags

Duration: variable

Google Forms Technologies

Provider: Google

Purpose: form submission, file upload, and application processing

Type: functional / third-party

Duration: variable

Google Fonts Requests

Provider: Google

Purpose: font display and visual presentation

Type: functional / third-party technology

Duration: variable

Visitors can change their cookie preferences at any time through the website’s cookie settings, where available.

20. Changes to This Privacy Policy & Cookie Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy & Cookie Policy from time to time to reflect changes in legal requirements, website functionality, third-party services, competition administration, or data processing practices.

The latest version will always be published on this page.

21. Contact

For questions about this Privacy Policy & Cookie Policy or about the processing of your personal data, please contact:

FUNDAȚIA CULTURALĂ PRO ARTE

Fiscal domicile: Municipality of Craiova, Dolj County, Romania

CUI: 9479579

Email: contact@dinulipatticompetition.org