General Information and Policies
Everyone is Welcome
The Folk School and Olive’s Porch is an equal-opportunity institution and does not and shall not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, religious affiliation, nationality, or ethnic origin.
How can I register? & How early should I register?
Registrations are accepted online at www.olivesporch.org, by phone or in person.
Our workshops are small and may fill quickly. We recommend that you register as soon as possible to get your workshop of choice. Registering early also gives our instructors adequate time to prepare class materials, which can be extensive.
Waitlist:
If you are interested in a workshop that is full, enter your email in the workshop description listed on the workshop's page. If a spot becomes available an email notification will be sent to everyone on the waitlist and the spot will be filled on a first come, first served basis.
Purchase Confirmation:
Shopify will send an email acknowledging your purchase. All the information for your workshop will be listed in the description for the workshop you’ve purchased.
A separate email will be sent a few days prior to the workshop to remind you that it’s occurring soon. It will have links to the workshop description with what supplies to bring and a reminder of the materials fee specific to the workshop.
Materials Fees- How They Work:
Materials fees are collected at the time of the workshop and vary by workshop. Payment by cash or check is required for materials fees and paid directly to your instructor.
Materials fees are typically low and hover between $10 and $30 dollars. Due to the nature of handcraft some instructors need to harvest materials and prices may be higher due to the media you’re using.
For cooking workshops: the materials fee will depend on the price of materials and number of attendees on the day of the workshop. An estimated materials range will be posted in the description.
Cancellation Policy:
We contract with local and regional instructors for short workshops that need a minimum number of students to run. To respect our instructor’s time and preparation for workshops please contact us as soon as possible if you are unable to attend a workshop.
Full tuition is due at the time of registration.
Cancellations made more than 14 days prior to a workshop will be issued a full refund.
Cancellations made 14 or less days prior to your workshop are not eligible for a refund.
Transfers are no longer accepted due to our change in operating systems.
If Olive’s Porch needs to cancel a workshop for any reason, we will issue a full refund.
Age Requirements
Age requirements for workshops are included in the course description and set by the instructor. (See example below) Minors who are 12 years and older who wish to take class need to have a parent or guardian registered for the same workshop and be present throughout, in order to participate.
Example: Ages: 12 & Up- Minors and one adult must both be signed up for the same workshop in order to attend.
If you have any questions regarding a specific workshop you’re welcome to call Olive’s Porch for more information.
When should I arrive for my workshop?
For workshops listed with a 10 a.m. start time or before, doors will open ten minutes prior to the scheduled workshop start. Please plan to arrive ten minutes early for your workshop regardless of start time, to find parking downtown and check in.
Where can I park?
Parking is available on Peachtree Street in front of Olive's Porch, or in the Downtown Murphy public parking lot.
Lunch Breaks
For day-long 6-Hour and 8-Hour workshops there will be an hour-long lunch break. Students are welcome to bring their own lunch and eat in the classroom space, at downtown Murphy picnic areas, or order from one of the many downtown restaurants within walking distance.
Can I audit a workshop?
Only students who are registered for a workshop are allowed to participate in the workshop.
Do the same local tuition discounts etc. that apply on the JCCFS main campus apply to Olive’s Porch as well?
The short answer is no. The Olive’s Porch tuition model was built with accessibility in mind. We strive to keep our workshop tuition as accessible as possible while paying instructors a fair wage for their expertise.
Personal Property
Olive’s Porch (and The Folk School) is not responsible for the security of property belonging to students and instructors.
Student Feedback
Our programs are built with you in mind! Your feedback helps us to continue to provide high-quality instructors, workshops, and community events.
Link to Student Survey: https://wkf.ms/3G68Cj0
