In partnership with the Foyle Foundation
About This Policy
We use cookies across our website to improve user experience. This page explains:
- Who we are
- What cookies are.
- Types of cookies we are.
- How you can control the use of cookies.
- Further information and contacting us.
- How to make a complaint.
Who we are
The Royal Shakespeare Company (ICO registration Z5023810) is the data controller for any personal information we process.
The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) is incorporated under Royal Charter and is a charity registered in England and Wales (Charity Number 212481).
RSC Enterprise Limited (CRN 2360172) is a private limited company that is a 100% owned subsidiary of The Royal Shakespeare Company that carries out a range of commercial trading activities to generate income for the RSC.
For this policy “RSC,” “we,” “us,” and “our” refer to the Royal Shakespeare Company.
What are cookies?
Cookies are small text files made up of letters and numbers with an expiry date, stored in your browser on your computer or mobile device. They are created when your browser loads a website, which sends information to the browser to generate the cookie. Each time you revisit the website, your browser retrieves and sends the cookie back to the website's server, and when the cookie expires, it is automatically discarded.
Cookies record details about your internet activity, such as whether you have visited our website before, and store this information on your device (e.g., computer, tablet, or phone). The cookies we use do not collect personally identifiable information, and we only share anonymised, aggregated usage data with third parties.
Persistent cookies remain on your device after you close your browser, allowing your settings and preferences to be remembered for future visits. You can delete these cookies at any time through your browser settings. Cookies sent from our website only relate to its use and have no other effect on your device.
The types of cookies we use
We collect four types of cookies. Below, we explain what these are, what they do, and how long we store them for – this can vary from a session to set of minutes, hours, or days. A session starts when you launch a website and ends when you leave it or close your browser window.
Strictly necessary cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in, or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work. These cookies do not store any personally identifiable information.
Performance cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we will not know when you have visited our site and will not be able to monitor its performance.
Performance cookies play a vital role in helping us fulfil our charitable objectives. They enable us to gather the insights needed to apply for funding, sustain the activities we excel at, and continually improve our website. By collecting and reporting information on how you use our site, these cookies provide valuable insights into user behaviour and actions. This understanding helps us identify patterns and preferences, enabling us to make data-driven decisions that enhance the website's functionality and effectiveness.
We use Google Analytics to collect information about how visitors use our website. We use this information to report to our funders and to analyse website usage so that we can improve user experience. Google Analytics collects information such as the number of site visitors, which pages they visited, how they came to the site and their location. You can find out more about privacy at Google and opt out of being tracked by Google Analytics across all websites.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all these services may not function properly.
Targeting cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They do not store directly personal information but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising. Opting out of these cookies needs to be done via the third party and does not mean you will not see advertising when you are online, but it will mean that any advertising you see will not be tailored to you. You can manage the third-party cookies easily by visiting optout.networkadvertising.org
On occasion we work with third parties to advertise through third party platforms, such as social media advertising activity. For data analytics and targeted advertising, the third party will be given access to website usage data including IP address, purchase value, and pages viewed.
Third party cookies
Our website includes links to other sites (such as Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, Threads, X, and YouTube). These third-party sites may set cookies on your device when you interact with their content on our site. We do not control these cookies and recommend you review the cookie policies of each third-party site for details on how they use cookies.
How you can control the use of cookies from our website
If you prefer not to opt in to certain types of cookies, you can adjust your preferences using our cookie consent tool when you first visit our website. Your choices will be recorded and stored for up to one year.
When you first visit our website, you are presented with a pop-up, which gives you the following options:
Accept All Cookies – this applies all cookies.
Cookie Settings – allows you to turn different types of cookies on or off.
Reject All – only strictly necessary cookies will be applied.
If you click on the cross, only strictly necessary cookies will be applied.
Using browser settings
You can block cookies by changing settings in your browser. Bear in mind that if you block cookies then our website, and other sites you visit, may no longer work for you as intended.
Changes that you make to browser settings will only apply to that browser; if you use multiple browsers (e.g., Firefox, Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Safari) and wish to opt out of cookies then you will need to change settings in each browser that you use.
Changes to browser settings will only take effect on the device on which you make those changes unless your browsers are set up to share your settings across different devices. If your browsers are not set up in this way and you want to opt out of cookies then you will need to change the settings of each browser on each device that you use.
If you delete all cookies, then all site preferences stored on your device will be deleted. This means that if you opt out from cookies for a given site and then delete all cookies, your opt-out will not be saved and you will need to opt out again (which will store a strictly necessary cookie so that your device can remember that you have opted out).
Below are links to instructions for opting out of cookies for some of the most popular browsers:
Firefox
Google Chrome
Microsoft Edge
Safari
Unfortunately, we cannot help with issues caused by changes to your device settings. If you have problems, try resetting your browser settings and clearing your cache for our site.
Further information and contacting us
You can find out more about cookies at allaboutcookies.org and individual cookies on www.cookiepedia.co.uk
The ICO (Information Commissioner’s Office) provides more information on cookies, including how to see what cookies have been stored and how to manage and delete them.
To request information about yourself or to find out more about our privacy, data protection and records retention measures, please write to: Data Protection, Royal Shakespeare Company, Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Waterside, Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, CV37 6BB.
Email: dataprotection@rsc.org.uk. Specify in your communication the exact nature of the information you wish to request.
How to make a complaint
If you are unhappy with how we are processing your personal data and take the view that we are not complying with UK GDPR, you have the right to complaint to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).
Visit: https://ico.org.uk/concerns/
Write to: Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF.
Phone: 0303 123 1113
Changes to this policy
We may change or update this Cookie Policy from time to time. Any changes will be immediately posted on the website, and you are deemed to have accepted the terms of the Cookie Policy on your first use of the website following the alterations.
Last updated October November 2025