Bookings
Once a student has expressed interest in coming on a course with you please direct them to Hannah at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or tel. 0117 330 4973 to arrange accommodation. Likewise if a student contacts us regarding your course we will direct them to you straight away to make sure you have availability for them on the course. Students pay us a deposit to reserve a room and the full payment is made 10 weeks prior to the start of the course according to our Terms and Conditions. We suggest you ask for a tuition deposit as well and then balance is paid to you directly by the student at the 10 week mark as well.
In the event of having to cancel a course due to lack of bookings
Unfortunately, occasionally this situation does occur. As the Centre carries the major part of the risk in this case we take pains to anticipate this as early as possible so that an alternative course can be scheduled in instead. The best way to avoid a late cancellation (when it is then too late to put a good alternative in place) is to start publicising the course early and then to assess the level of interest. If there seems to be a lack of interest from the main target audience then it is best not to proceed. The tutor would not be liable to compensate the Art Centre and the Art Centre would not liable to compensate the tutor for any losses. The decision should be made as early as possible once the likely uptake has become apparent.
Using the lecture theatre.
We have a lecture theatre with seating for about 15. We have a new and fairly high quality projector in the lecture theatre (or the Museum) stored in the large cupboard to the left of the door as you enter. If you have an ipad or iphone on which photos are stored for lectures and you wish to connect to the projector it is an Acer H6510BD 1080p Full HD 3D DLP Home Cinema Projector which you can look at on Amazon.co.uk for further information about inputs and outputs etc. It works best with and HDMI input (rather than VGA) for best colour results. As there seems to be a specific connector for each Apple device we advise you to bring your own that is compatible with your Apple device. We have a few at the Centre but cannot guarantee they will work with your specific device. Of course you may have an Android device or another. Not everyone uses Apple. So the same applies.
Wifi and Printer
We have free wifi throughout the Art Centre and accommodation. A printer can be made available. It is a colour laser printer. If students want to print or copy art work or photographs we have to charge per print. Detailed instructions on how to use the printer are at this link.
Art supplies
Please make contact with Caroline Seaward our manager in Italy to make sure all the supplies you need will be available. I can supply her email on request. The general guide to what is available is on our web site here: LINK. Some groups choose to send art supplies over in advance or pre-order specific things to be available for the course.
We can also supply you with a letter from the Civil Aviation Authority with advice on travelling with paints. However be aware that some airlines have their own rules about this and so don't necessarily follow the advice of the CAA.
Materials List
Once you have discussed with our manager what is and isn't available on site then please write to your group with a materials list to let them know what would be useful for them to bring with them. You can also forward them the CAA letter if that would reassure them.
Check in and Check Out times
Check in is not before 4 pm on the arrival day (if travelling independently) and check out is 10 am on the departure day.
Arrival
Our driver will meet the group at around 4:30 pm at Pisa Airport (or Poggibonsi train station or Firenze SMN station by arrangement). On arrival our manager has to check everyone's passport and register their stay with the local authorities for tourist tax etc. So normally if the group arrives in Casole about 18:30 there will be time to settle into your rooms, get your passport checked with the manager and have a drink on the terrace before dinner at 20:00.
The first day
Breakfast is at 9 am on the first day (8:30 am thereafter) to allow a bit of extra rest after travelling. If most of your group is new to the Art Centre then usually Nigel Konstam, the owner of the Centre will take the group on a tour of the village ending with a cup of coffee at one of the local bars. This will give the tutor a bit of extra time to get the studios set up ready for action when the group returns about 11 am.
Tips
Tips for the kitchen staff and cleaner are always welcomed! If the group feel they have received good service and been well looked after then if someone could collect a tip in an envelope on the last night this is always much appreciated – but of course entirely voluntary.
Complaints
If students come to you with complaints about anything at all please pass these on as soon as possible to our manager. She will do all possible to rectify any problems as quickly as possible.
Guest Kitchens
The Martini Kitchen in the Centro and the Annex kitchen are available for students if they want to prepare their own lunches. Lunches can be eaten on the terrace or in the kitchen. Plates should be taken back and washed up in the kitchens they came from. There should be milk provided in the fridges of the guest kitchens for students to make tea and coffee whenever they like. If the milk runs out they can mention this to the staff and more will be provided.
Departure
We provide a transfer back to Pisa Airport (or Poggibonsi train station) departing after breakfast around 9:30 am. The journey to Pisa is about 1.5 hours and half an hour to Poggibonsi.
Feedback
We usually write to the group the day after they return from their holidays to find out if they had a good time and if they had any feedback about the course or the stay. We will always pass on comments to the tutor where these relate to the tutor. If there is anything we haven't covered in this letter please do ask and Hannah or Caroline will be happy to help.
Our web site has a lot more information and photos to give you an idea what it is like. Please do call me if you would like to talk about anything. My number is 0117 330 4973 and my mobile is 07981700396.
Best regards,
Hannah Konstam Toomer