Model Safety Policies & Studio Protocols

1. Our Commitment to Model Safety At Studio SLEW, fine art models are valued creative collaborators in every session they participate in. We are dedicated to maintaining an empowering, respectful, and safe environment for everyone in our space. Our protocols explicitly recognize that a model on the stand occupies a position of unique physical and visual vulnerability. Studio SLEW staff proactively protects the boundaries of every model from privacy violations, unapproved approaches, harassment, and studio disruptions.

2. Open Communication & Protection Protocols A central pillar of our safety infrastructure is an open, trusted line of communication between models and studio staff. Models are always empowered to express safety boundaries, personal comfort levels, and posing preferences.

  • Open-Door Reporting Line: Session Leaders check in privately with the Model prior to the session, during break blocks, and immediately following wrap-up. Models are encouraged to approach the Session Leader privately at any point to flag discomfort, boundary crossing, or room dynamics.

  • Historical & Outside Boundaries: Models are encouraged to flag any attendee with whom they have had unsafe, strange, or forward interactions in the past (whether at another venue, outside session, or via digital spaces/social media, including stalking or harassment).

Guaranteed Paid Exit & Debrief Protocol If an attendee is present who has historically compromised your safety or comfort, notify the Session Leader immediately. Staff will discreetly coordinate a neutral, confrontation-free exit, ending your session portion quietly while ensuring you receive full payment for your scheduled time. Because our legal reach is strictly limited to our physical space, this "models-first" policy allows us to protect our immediate environment. To activate this protocol and protect our community, we require only a brief post-session debrief to identify and restrict the attendee in our booking system; you are never asked to share personal history, trauma, or private details about your past experience.

3. Format-Specific Media, Camera, and Phone Policies To ensure complete transparency and align with our updated model agreements, device and photography rules are strictly delineated by session format:

A. Traditional Nude Figure Drawing Sessions (Absolute Zero Tolerance)

  • Absolute Zero-Tolerance Device Ban: Whenever a nude or semi-nude model is on stage for an active posing sequence, all mobile phones, cameras, and recording devices must remain completely stowed away in bags or placed face-down. Handheld use, checking notifications, or raising devices for any reason is strictly prohibited.

  • Wearable Cameras: Wearable camera technology (including smart glasses such as Meta Ray-Bans) is strictly prohibited from being worn in the studio.

  • Digital Tablet & iPad Camera Taping: Artists working on digital tablets or iPads must allow studio staff to apply removable opaque stickers over all front and rear camera lenses prior to active posing sequences.

  • No Photography or Photo References: Photography, video recording, easel time-lapses, and photo reference requests of any kind are strictly prohibited during nude sessions. No exceptions are granted under any circumstances.

  • Break-Time Model Privacy: Artists may only use phones during designated break blocks when the model is off the stage and properly robed, and solely to photograph their own artwork or socialize. Pointing a camera toward or capturing a model (even when fully robed or resting) is strictly prohibited.

B. Costumed, Draped & Themed Long-Pose Sessions (Open Collaborative Format)

  • Collaborative Media Environment: Costumed sessions operate as collaborative fine art events. While these remain focused drawing sessions and media capture is not mandatory, attending artists and studio staff hold baseline permission to take photo references, easel time-lapses, and creative process videos during active posing and break periods.

  • Monetized Process & Fine Art Usage: The flat booking fee covers all media authorizations and likeness releases for costumed modeling. Attending artists retain full copyright to their artwork and may publish process videos, time-lapses, and vlogs on public platforms (including ad-monetized channels and social media).

  • Strict Prohibition on Raw Reference Sales: Attending artists are strictly forbidden by studio terms from selling, licensing, or commercially distributing raw photo or video files of the model. Photo references are granted solely as artist tools for creating fine artwork and documenting creative workflows.

  • Privacy Choice: Models who require strict personal privacy, prefer not to appear on social media, or wish to restrict photography entirely should decline costumed bookings and participate exclusively under our Traditional Nude Figure Drawing format.

4. Boundary Management & Staff De-Escalation Protocol At Studio SLEW, physical, emotional, and visual safety is paramount. Models maintain complete autonomy over their bodies and have the absolute right to refuse any pose, gesture, or setup that feels physically painful, unsafe, or emotionally uncomfortable, without penalty.

Our Session Leaders are trained in structured de-escalation and multi-tiered boundary enforcement, taking full responsibility for managing the room:

5. Studio Amenities, Facility Standards & Tipping

  • Private Changing Facilities: A dedicated, fully private changing area is reserved exclusively for models before, during, and after sessions.

  • Robing Protocol: For nude sessions, models are expected to remain fully clothed or robed whenever off the designated stage (including moving to/from changing areas and during break periods).

  • Climate & Ergonomic Controls: Space heaters, fans, cushions, and posing props are readily provided and adjusted upon request.

  • Posing Rotations: Standard sessions operate on a consistent rotation of up to twenty (20) minutes of active posing followed by a minimum rest break of five (5) minutes.

  • Facility Security: Studio security cameras are active in common areas (such as entrances) for asset protection. In accordance with New York law, cameras are strictly prohibited from monitoring private changing areas, restrooms, or the model posing stage. Footage is permanently deleted within thirty (30) days absent an active security incident.

  • Optional Whiteboard Tipping & Social Credits: A physical whiteboard is provided each session where models may optionally write their digital payment handles (Venmo, Cash App) and Instagram handles. Sharing details is completely voluntary. During session announcements, staff actively encourages artists to tip models directly. For costumed sessions, artists are instructed to credit and tag the model's official handle when posting session artwork or process content online.

    Life model resources outside Studio SLEW:

    The Model Tea Project: https://www.modelteaproject.com/

    A Brooklyn-based advocacy project and creative social club for Art Models.

  • Instagram: @model.tea