Thank you for reviewing these policies in full. What makes this convening meaningful is the people in the room. To protect that experience for everyone, we ask all participants to review and honor the following commitments when completing their registration.

1. Funding & Policy Requests

This year's event will include leaders of all types: practitioners, advocates, funders and policymakers. To foster an environment built on trust and learning, attendees will treat each other as colleagues and collaborators. Please refrain from fundraising or making policy requests during the event; attendees may schedule follow-up meetings after the event if mutually agreed upon.

2. Personal Information & Privacy

By registering, you consent to Arts Education Partnership ("AEP) and Education Commission of the States (“ECS”) and its contractors or agents collecting, storing, and using your personally identifiable information (“PII”) for official purposes associated with 2026 Annual Convening, including but not limited to creating attendance records, producing name badges and materials, processing registration payments, making hotel reservations, ensuring participant safety, managing event logistics, and facilitating networking opportunities through attendee lists shared with participants and AEP and ECS partners.

Some of your personal information may be provided to third parties, including but not limited to event sponsors, for purposes directly related to the event. AEP and ECS employs reasonable security measures to protect your information, including encryption, access controls, firewalls, and other industry-standard processes. AEP and ECS treats attendee information confidentially and does not release registration or invitation lists to outside third parties except as required by law or legal process. Please note that no security system is completely infallible and no system is impervious to unauthorized or malicious intrusion.

By registering, you grant permission to AEP and ECS to include your name and relevant professional details on the attendee networking list distributed to fellow participants and sponsors for the purpose of facilitating meaningful connections. If you have questions or concerns regarding the use of your personal information, please contact cdennis@ecs.org prior to the event.

3. Photography & Media

You grant permission to Arts Education Partnership ("AEP") and Education Commission of the States (“ECS”) and its contractors or agents to (i) record your image, likeness, and/or voice on a photographic, video, audio, digital, electronic, or any other medium; (ii) use, reproduce, modify, exhibit, and/or distribute any such recording, in whole or in part, in any manner or medium now known or hereafter developed — including without limitation print publications, digital platforms, social media, and the internet — for any purpose AEP and ECS may deem appropriate, including without limitation promotional, educational, and archival efforts; and (iii) use your name and biographical material in connection with any such recordings or uses.

You understand and agree that your image may be edited, copied, exhibited, published, or distributed and you waive the right to inspect or approve the finished product wherein your likeness appears. You understand that AEP and ECS will be the owner of all such recordings and uses. You additionally waive any right to royalties or compensation arising from or related to the use of your image or recording. There is no time limit on the validity of this release, nor is there any geographic limitation on where these materials may be distributed.

If you choose to share images or recordings from the event, you agree to give appropriate credit to AEP and ECS as the source.

4. Safety & Liability

By participating in the 2026 Annual Convening, you may be exposed to certain dangers, risks, or hazards, including but not limited to contracting communicable diseases, natural disasters, terrorism events, and other unforeseen circumstances. You agree to assume the full risk, including risk which is not specifically foreseeable, of any injuries, including death, damages, or loss, regardless of severity, which you may sustain as a result of participating in any and all activities connected with or associated with the event.

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless Arts Education Partnership ("AEP") and Education Commission of the States (“ECS”) and its officers, directors, employees, agents, suppliers, vendors, contractors, and representatives from and against any and all demands, claims, fines, investigations, penalties, damages, losses, liabilities, judgments, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees and court costs) relating to your failure to comply with these terms and your participation in [Event Title], including but not limited to any claims arising in any manner out of contracting COVID-19 or any similar illness.

Further, for yourself and your heirs, personal representatives, and assigns, you hereby release, relinquish, and discharge Arts Education Partnership and Education Commission of the States and its predecessors, successors, assigns, legal representatives, and its former, present, and future agents, officers, directors, and employees from any liability resulting from the negligence of AEP and ECS or any of the foregoing parties.

5. Registration Policies

Cancellations & Refunds

All cancellations must be submitted in writing to cdennis@ecs.org. Phone cancellations are not accepted. The following refund schedule applies:

Cancellation Date	Refund
On or before July 30, 2026	Full refund minus a $50 admin processing fee
Aug. 1 through Aug.10, 2026	50% refund minus a $50 admin processing fee
Aug. 11, 2026 and after	No refund

No-shows are nonrefundable. Exception requests should be submitted in writing to  cdennis@ecs.org and will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis at the sole discretion of AEP and ECS. Please note that canceling your registration does not automatically cancel your hotel or travel reservations. You are responsible for managing those separately.

Transfers & Substitutions

Paid registrations are transferable with prior written approval. Please submit your substitution request to cdennis@ecs.org prior to the event. 

Payment

Registration fees are due at the time of registration. Attendees with outstanding balances will be required to provide payment by credit card at check-in. If paying by check or purchase order, please include your registration confirmation number with your payment and mail to:

Education Commission of the States
Attn: AEP 2026 Annual Convening
P.O. Box 33674
Northglenn, CO 80233

Age Requirements

Guests under the age of 18, including infants, are not permitted in any conference sessions or receptions due to safety considerations, audio recording, and maintaining an appropriate learning environment.

Accessibility

AEP and ECS and the host venue comply with the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”). If you require special accommodations or an auxiliary aid related to a disability, please notify Caitlin Dennis at cdennis@ecs.org no later than 21 days prior to the start of 2026 Annual Convening so that appropriate arrangements can be made.

6. Guest Policy

Guests must be registered to participate in any part of the 2026 Annual Convening. Each registrant is responsible for their guest's conduct throughout the duration of the event. Attendees and guests must be 18 years of age or older, and are subject to all applicable terms outlined in our conference policies, including but not limited to the Professional Conduct Standards, Photography & Media release, and Health & Safety guidelines.

Guests are permitted access to registered sessions only. AEP and ECS reserve the right to remove any guest whose behavior is deemed disruptive, inappropriate, or harmful to others, without refund.

7. Conference Expectations

As a registered attendee, you are expected to maintain professional conduct throughout the conference and to wear your provided name badge at all times to access conference events. Please note the following:

8. Non-Endorsement

The participation of sponsors, exhibitors, and partners in 2026 Annual Convening does not constitute an endorsement by Arts Educationship or Education Commission of the States of their organizations, products, services, or viewpoints. Similarly, the views expressed by speakers, panelists, attendees, sponsors, or exhibitors are their own and do not necessarily reflect the positions or opinions of Arts Education Partnership or Education Commission of the States. All attendees, guests, speakers, exhibitors, and sponsors are solely responsible for the content of all individual or corporate presentations, marketing collateral, and/or advertising.

9. Professional Conduct Standards

Arts Educaiton Partnership ("AEP") and Education Commission of the States (“ECS”) is dedicated to providing a safe and productive conference experience for all participants. All individuals attending or participating in any capacity — including but not limited to attendees, guests, speakers, sponsors, exhibitors, volunteers, contractors, and AEP and ECS staff — are expected to adhere to these Professional Conduct Standards. These standards apply to all individuals on premises at ECS conferences, meetings, and events, as well as all companies sponsoring or hosting ECS-related activities.

Drug & Alcohol Use

Where alcoholic beverages are served at AEP and ECS events, all participants are expected to drink responsibly and in accordance with applicable local and state laws. AEP, ECS and our event venue reserves the right to deny service to any participant for any reason and may require a participant to leave the event without refund. AEP and ECS expects that the use of any controlled or regulated substance conforms with applicable local and state law.

Weapons

To the extent consistent with and permitted by applicable law, AEP and ECS do not permit the possession of firearms or other weapons at any AEP and ECS event or on any event premises.

Unacceptable Behavior

AEP and ECS have zero tolerance for any form of discrimination or harassment by participants at AEP and ECS events. Unacceptable behavior includes but is not limited to:

Reporting & Enforcement

If you believe you have experienced or witnessed a violation of these Professional Conduct Standards, please contact Antionette Garcia at agarcia@ecs.org. AEP and ECS staff will work to resolve the situation promptly and with full discretion and confidentiality. If you or someone else is in immediate danger, please contact venue security or local law enforcement immediately.

Participants who are asked to cease any behavior contrary to these standards are expected to comply immediately. AEP and ECS reserves the right to take any action deemed necessary — including immediate removal from the event without warning or refund — in response to any incident deemed inappropriate. AEP and ECS further reserves the right to prohibit attendance at any future AEP and ECS event by any individual found to have violated these standards.

AEP and ECS have no authority to prevent any individual who believes they have experienced unlawful or improper behavior from pursuing independent legal action against the party they believe responsible.

10. Intellectual Property

All contents of this website and all materials associated with 2026 Annual Convening are Arts Education Partnership and Education Commission of the States. All rights reserved. All content and other materials, including without limitation all logos, designs, text, graphics, pictures, information, data, software, sound files, and other files and the selection and arrangement thereof (collectively, “Content”) are the proprietary property of Arts Education Partnership and Education Commission of the States. AEP and ECS are not responsible for content on websites operated by parties other than AEP and ECS.

You agree not to reproduce, distribute, record, or otherwise repurpose any session content, presentations, or materials without prior written permission from AEP and ECS or the respective rights holder. Unauthorized recording of sessions — whether audio, video, or otherwise — is strictly prohibited.

If you are aware of an infringement of AEP and ECS intellectual property, please notify us by contacting agarcia@ecs.org. Copyright infringement claims may be submitted to agarcia@ecs.org with the subject line “Copyright Infringement” and must include a detailed description of the alleged infringement.

11. Governing Terms

AEP and ECS reserve the right to change, amend, add, or remove any of these terms at its sole discretion and without prior notice. If any provision is found to be invalid or unenforceable, the remaining provisions will continue to be valid and apply. These terms apply to all event participants including attendees, guests, speakers, sponsors, and exhibitors.

These terms and any dispute or claim arising out of or in connection with them or their subject matter shall be governed by the laws of the State of Colorado, exclusive of any choice of law rules. All payments are processed through AEP and ECS’s U.S.-based system in accordance with U.S. jurisdiction. Attendees are responsible for any taxes or duties imposed by their local jurisdictions.